Kokushoku no Foncé!
by Rabukurafuto
Summary: An original adventure in the world of Konjiki no Gash! Foncé Ying is a girl with dark ambitions. Ken Bak is a boy burning with rage. With Ken as her partner, Foncé seeks to win the Devil Battle and become an elite ruler.
1. Level 1: The Dark Girl

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_The Ever Night Forest was created by Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 1: 魔界から来た暗黒少女**

**Level 1: The Dark Girl From the World of Devils**

_How long has it been since I last felt sunlight? _thought Foncé of Clan Ying as she wandered through the streets of Mochinoki, her heavy dark purple hardbound book in one hand, a black parasol in the other. _Too soon. Definitely too soon._ Even with the parasol shielding her from the sun's accursed rays, she felt weak and dehydrated. One of the darkest of all Creatures of the Night, being out and about during a sunny day made her miserable. Not that it really hurt her—she was just unused to so much light and warmth. She longed for her manor home back in the Ever Night Forest, shrouded in peaceful perpetual midnight.

Home. As far as she was concerned, her corner of the Ever Night Forest was the loveliest place in all of the World of Devils. Yes, her ancestors had been forcefully exiled there, but she would have lived there willingly enough if she had the choice. Nowhere else could one find the beautiful twilight roses or the elegant black liboo fish. Some of the other Creatures of the Night resented having to live in the Ever Night Forest, but to Foncé it was paradise. So much in fact that she almost wished that the wretched sun would extinguish itself and plunge Earth into eternal darkness. An event like that would seriously hamper her mission though, and her dream of becoming an elite ruler would never come to fruition.

The little Devil valued intellect and ability to the point where she proudly labeled herself an elitist. If she were to win the Devil Battle, the World of Devils would become a strict meritocracy, where the elite would be rewarded. The winners would be pushed to go further rather than being forced to console the losers.

Of course, before any of this could happen, she needed to find a partner to read her book.

Foncé hoped that her partner would be a proud aristocrat, or a powerful C.E.O., or a crime lord, a religious figure, a scientific genius, a skilled artist or composer. _Anyone_ with great talent or a large fortune. _I'll likely just get an average person though,_ she thought. _Perhaps I can make an average partner into an elite one though. No matter what partner I receive, I'll have to locate Imité and then rediscover the research. Then the fun truly begins._

Just then, her book began to glow. Foncé gasped. She looked to see if anyone was around, and noticed a dour young man in an ally nearby.

_Could this be…_

* * *

As far as Ken Bak was concerned, he hated life and everyone in it. Nearly everyone was just a stupid, brutish ape who deserved to die violently, preferably by his hand. Especially those immature punks who called themselves his classmates. 

Ken leaned against the wall in the ally, seething with impotent rage. Those idiots had picked on him again when all he wanted was to be left alone. They made fun of him for his silence, his Korean ancestry, and his lack of friends. The last one really infuriated him—of course he had no friends! Why would anyone think a brilliant genius like him would _want_ to be friends with any of the evolutionary throwbacks that polluted Mochinoki Junior High? If it weren't for his homeroom teacher, Miss Hachiya, he'd burn the building down without any regrets.

Miss Midori Hachiya. She was the sole good thing about school, and perhaps life itself. Ken calmed down a little just thinking about her. Beautiful, smart, and kind, she was the only one who understood him. Everyone loved her, but no one more than Ken. But she had problems of her own—lecherous men were always bothering her, and it filled Ken with even more rage to see his favorite teacher being treated like an object by idiots. How wonderful it would be to kill all the annoying fools and just leave!

"Miss Hachiya…" he murmured wistfully, "let's run away together and never look back! Away from these simpletons and go where we can be alone!"

The hairs on the back of his neck rose, and Ken suddenly had the feeling that he was no longer alone. He turned to see a little girl, perhaps seven or eight-years-old, holding a large purple book and a black umbrella that cast a shadow over her, watching him from the entrance of the ally. He glared at her and hoped she's leave—he hated little kids too.

Instead she approached him, and Ken got a better look at the unwelcome visitor. She had long, wavy black hair, large violet eyes, and an elegant black dress that looked almost Victorian. Up close, he also realized that something seriously wrong with her skin—it looked like ivory, and the joints of her hands were marked with thin black lines.

_It's not a girl,_ he thought with a mixture of alarm and curiosity. _It's a doll. A living doll._

"My book," the girl said in a ghostly whisper, "please, try to read it." She offered it to Ken, and he saw that it gave off an eerie purple light. Reluctantly, he took it and opened it randomly. Inside he found incomprehensible characters that were totally unfamiliar to him. He flipped though it, but there wasn't anything he could—wait, at the begging there was a glowing line of text, and even as he stared at the strange symbols, he knew what they said, even how they were pronounced.

"I—I can read this first line," said Ken, his voiced filled with awe. "It says '_Anheiru_'."

The girl pointed her left hand to the ground and a small bolt of cold black energy burst forth from her palm. It streaked downward and exploded on impact, leaving a small crater in the concrete. Ken stared at the crater, then at the girl. He shivered with fear and confusion.

The girl looked at him. "It seems that we are destined to be partners."

"W—who are you?" Ken stammered. "_What_ are you?"

The girl smiled slyly, sinisterly. "I am Foncé of Clan Ying, and I'm going to make all your dreams come true."

**_To be continued..._**


	2. Level 2: The Devil Battle

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 2: 魔物バトル**

**Level 2: The Devil Battle**

"My mom's not home yet so you can stay for a while," said Ken. He and Foncé stepped out of the apartment elevator and headed to his home. He unlocked and opened his door, and they entered. The Bak family lived in a modest apartment home that wasn't particularly special. Foncé inspected the place and found it adequate for her current needs, although she would have liked to go someplace more upscale.

Ken sat on the floor, his hands on his knees as he folded his legs beneath him. "So, what's this about?" he asked. He eyed his strange guest and her creepy book.

Foncé smiled slightly at this. "I'd be glad to expla—"

Her stomach suddenly emitted a loud gurgle. Foncé realized that was quite hungry. She fell silent as Ken looked at her.

_Don't lose face. Don't lose face. Don't lose face._

Ken tried not to laugh at the puppet-like girl as she stood stock still, her face totally without expression yet blushing furiously. _So she has real feelings after all,_ he thought with no small amount of amusement. _And here I was thinking that she was some kind of emotionless killer android._

"_Ahem,_" she said at last. "Perhaps we can discuss matters over lunch."

"Yes," he replied. "Let's."

* * *

A few minutes later, Foncé and Ken were sitting at his table, bowls of steaming instant ramen sitting in front of them. Foncé tried not to wolf her food down—it just wouldn't be a very dignified thing to do—but her hunger got the better of her at times. 

"So," said Ken. He hadn't even touched his ramen yet. "Can you tell me what's going on here?"

"Ah, of course," Foncé said between bites. "I am a Devil from a place called the World of Devils. Every one thousand years a hundred Devil children are been sent to the World of Humans to participate in a battle to determine the next ruler of the World of Devils. In the World of Devils we may use our powers freely, but in the World of Humans we must find a destined partner to cast spells. That is where my book comes in. You must read my spells in order for me to cast them. In time other spells will become available."

"And the other Devils?"

"They will also find partners to read their books. The goal of the Devil Battle is to defeat the enemy Devils by burning their books, returning them to the World of Devils. The last Devil standing will become the ruler of the World of Devils for the next one thousand years."

_So it's like that book _Battle Royale thought Ken.

"Well it's good and all if you win," he said, "but what's in it for me? Do I get a special prize for helping?"

"No prize," she answered. She pushed her now empty bowl away. "Officially anyway. But as I said before, I can make your dreams come true. With my power, you can do anything. _Everything._ Do you want money? We can easily rob a bank."

Foncé left her chair and picked up her dark purple book. She paced slowly around the room.

"Jewelry, cars, women—the sky's the limit, my friend. Just point me in the right direction and read the book. I will become more powerful over time as well. You might even be able to—dare I say it?—rule the world."

With every possibility Foncé listed off, Ken grew more and more enthralled. He fought the urge to cackle madly with joy. This was just too damn _good_ to be true! There had to be a catch somewhere—there always was a catch in the movies—but he didn't care. At last, his comeuppance had arrived!

She turned to him, a coy smile on her ivory-white face. "The power is yours," she purred invitingly, "if you desire it." She held her book to him. It began to glow.

Ken's eyes gleamed, reflecting the sinister light of the book. "Yes," he whispered. He carefully took it from Foncé, and the glow intensified. "Yes. Yes! I accept this power! I'll do whatever you want, just give me the power and revenge I crave! Give me darkness—"

"It's yours, my friend."

"—and I'll obliterate all who stand in my way!"

Foncé smiled again. _He's all mine now,_ she thought. Seducing him had been even easier than she previously thought.

"You and I together…partner," she proposed. "Let's rest for now. Tomorrow we get to work. We'll need to practice and we'll need money."

"Right," Ken replied. This whole Devil Battle thing was beginning to sound fun. Better than any video game he's every played. Yeah, he was going to enjoy this…

Thus began a marriage made in Hell.

**_To be continued..._**


	3. Level 3: The First Spell

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_For those of you wondering, Foncé is pronounced "phone-SAY"_

_For more fun with Foncé check out Rahkshi500's excellent story "Zero and his Best Buddies: X Sagas"._

_Rahkshi fans take note! Zero and Rahkshi himself will make an appearence here in the near future!_

* * *

**Level 3: 第一の術**

**Level 3: The First Spell**

"Remember," said Foncé, "it is your emotion that fuels my spells. The more feeling you put into my spells the more power they have. Keep in mind that that casting spells _will_ drain you, you be careful."

"Got it."

"And when we finish we can go get some breakfast. I'm feeling generous, so I'll let you choose the place, partner."

"Oh, thanks."

The two were standing out in the middle of a field in the early morning, free from distractions. They had gotten up early to train. Foncé had carefully planed out a schedule for them, listed various ways they could train over the next few days. She believed that at this point in the Devil Battle most Devils would be more intent on training than seeking each other out. After a reasonable amount of training, they were to secure a specific location in Europe that Foncé had not yet explained about. Afterwards she wanted to find her older brother, Imité. That when she wanted to begin her plan in earnest, but Ken didn't know what this future plan of hers was. Foncé just told him to forget about that for now and concentrate instead on their plans for training.

The sun had only just begun to rise of the horizon, allowing Ken just enough light to see. He held the book open in his hand, that alien word _Anheiru_ glowing faintly. Today they were going to train with inanimate objects. Foncé faced a large rock sticking out of the ground a few feet away. She pointed her left hand at the rock, her palm open.

"Pour your hatred into it," she instructed briskly. "Dredge up your worst memories. Take your anger and hate and turn it into power."

_Worst memories…_Ken forced himself to think back to time last year, to an event he would never forget.

_Hey Bak, answer me when I talk to you._

_This guy just ignores us. He ignores everything. He's retarded or something._

_I bet if I piss on his head he wouldn't notice._

_See, he doesn't respond even when I poke him._

_Hey, what's he doing?_

_He just stabbed him in the neck with his pencil!_

_Someone stop him! Bak's going to kill Oda!_

_Mr. Bak, please explain this paper to us._

_Do you really think killing everyone you don't like is justifiable?_

_In addition to assaulting a classmate you wrote how you want to murder people who annoy you._

_You're going to be suspended._

_We might have to expel you. We have to take threats like these seriously these days._

_It's all my fault! I should have been in the classroom! I could've prevented any of this from happening! _

_I'm so sorry Mr. Bak. I left the classroom even though I know you get bullied when I'm away. Please forgive me._

_Hey, look who's back!_

_Didn't you break Oda's arm or something?_

_Oh please don't kill me Bak! _

_I didn't fight back because it's dishonorable to hit the mentally retarded._

Ken's jaw tightened, his teeth grinding together until they ached. His heart raced, blood pounding in his ears. His breathing became fast and ragged. The entire world turned red. He heard his classmates laughing at him, swearing at him, threatening him.

Why?

Because I'm too good for them. They're jealous of my genius. The hate me for being superior to them in every way. They want to drag me down so I can never realize my true destiny. They…they…

"_ANHEIRU!"_

The beam of solid darkness took Foncé by surprise, its sheer power pushing her back. The beam, much longer and thicker than the spell she cast the day before, leapt vigorously from her left palm. She had to grab her wrist with her right hand to steady herself. She watched in awe as the Anheiru lanced forward into the rock where it exploded in a huge black blossom of raw darkness energy. The blast was eerily silent, making only an ominous humming.

The dark explosion quickly faded. Foncé's eyes went wide. The rock had been completely obliterated. Now a circular crater where to rock once stood was all that remained.

_Impossible!_ she thought, awed enough to drop her emotionless façade and not realize it. _There's no way the first spell could be _that_ powerful! My partner must be a bottomless abyss of hate to do that! _

Ken gasped for breath. He felt winded, yet better than he ever had in a long time, like a huge weight had been lifted from him. It was an absolutely amazing sensation.

"Hey, Foncé!" he called out. "Want to do some more?"

After an hour of practicing with the first spell, Foncé and Ken were exhausted. They cast the spell six more times that morning, each time with weaker results than that first Anheiru, but they were still impressively powerful. Visitors to the field later that day would be puzzled to find the peculiar holes that now littered the area.

The pair managed to limp over to a nearby MacDonald's where they recovered their strength and ate several breakfast meals in a row.

"That was _some_ hate you put into that first spell," said Foncé. "What did you think of?"

Ken grimaced and put his food down. "At school, I try my best to just ignore everyone who torments me. I just refuse to talk to any of those stupid apes, and they think that's really funny. One day this guy named Oda pushed me too far, so I stabbed repeatedly in the neck with my pencil. It was blunted, so the little bastard was more shook up than really hurt. I got expelled for a week for that. When the principal found out that I had written a paper in class about how I'd be justified in killing them for tormenting me I was nearly expelled."

"They were afraid that you'd act on those word?"

"Correct. What idiots. I only wrote it because I was frustrated. It's not like I was seriously going to turn the paper in like that."

"But you do think you can act on those words?"

"Yeah. Without a second thought."

A smile spread across Foncé's white face. "I see."

"The only one who defended me was my homeroom teacher, Miss Hachiya." He smiled wistfully. "She's the only one who cares about me."

"You don't think _I_ care about you?" she asked in a hurt tone. "Ken?"

"Hey, you just said my name."

"Oh. I suppose I did."

"You're not going to call me 'partner' anymore?"

She smiled at him with a fair approximation of warmth. "You're Ken to me from now on."

He looked happy. "Cool."

She chuckled inwardly. Her calculated display of affection and warmth worked like a charm. Humans were so easy to manipulate.

_No,_ she thought, _it all people, Devil and human alike._

"Ken?" she asked sweetly and a little hesitantly. "May I ask you something?"

"Go ahead babe."

_Babe?_ Now there was something she could do without. What was she, his lover? She was will to do a lot to make him obey her, but becomingKen's lover was not one of them.

"Will you take me to school with you?"

_**To be continued...**_


	4. Level 4: School

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Level 4: 高等学校**

**Level 4: School**

"Why do you want to go to school with me?"

"Because," said Foncé, pulling on a pair of elbow-length black gloves to cover her strange markings, "I just want to know a little more about your life. School's an important aspect of your life right now, is it not?"

Ken grumpily shoved his textbooks into his book bag. "Important? I'll say. It's the place I gettortured everyday but Sunday. Yeah, that's important all right."

"My being there may elevate your social standing."

"What?"

"I'll improve your image. If your peers think you've made friends with a pretty little girl such as myself they may reevaluate how they perceive you."

He slung his book bag over his shoulder. "Well, when you put it like that…"

She smiled. "I only mean to help you, Ken. We have to help each other if we're to succeed."

He looked at his watch. "Well, we'd better get going."

Foncé picked up a book bag of her own. "Splendid. Lead the way."

* * *

As he walked past other students of Mochinoki Junior High, Ken couldn't help but wonder if any of them also possessed Devil books. Were they plotting his downfall at that very moment? Were there Devils hiding out, waiting to burn Foncé's book and take away his chance at greatness? 

_Any one of them could be my enemy, more so than before. I must get them first._

With Foncé walking behind him, Ken entered his homeroom. Miss Hachiya had not arrived yet, and there were only two other students there, already sitting at their desks. Ken eyed them suspiciously.

_Shiori Odaka. Rahkshi Hundred. Could you have Devil books? Are you my enemy?_ Our_ enemy?_

"Is that your younger sister, Bak?" asked Shiori, an attractive girl with long black hair. Normally she understood that he just wanted to be left alone, so she didn't talk to him.

"Why yes," Ken replied stiffly. "She is."

Shiori came to them and smiled at Foncé. "Good morning! You're very pretty, you know that?"

Foncé smiled and curtsied with her long black skirt. "Thank you very much, miss. My dear older brother generously allowed me to come with him because I wanted to see where he learned. I'm very honored to be here and meet his peers."

"So polite!" exclaimed Shiori. She turned to Ken. "You must be a very good older brother to have such a nice sister."

"I try my best," he mumbled back. He glanced over at Rahkshi. The handsome young man with choccolate-brown hair was watching Foncé with some curiosity, but hadn't moved.

Shiori went back to Foncé. "What's your name?"

"Foncé, miss."

"Foncé? Wow, that sounds French! How cool!"

"Our parents decided on a more exotic name for her," said Ken, scratching his head slightly. "How I wish I had been named…Levilain. Yeah, that's it."

* * *

Other students began to arrive, andFoncé enchanted them with her knowledge and manners. She was correct—people seemed to warm up to Ken a bit just from being associated with her. 

When the teacher finally showed up she was surprised by all the commotion. "My goodness! What's going on here?" asked Midori Hachiya. She was a beautiful woman in her early thirties with shiny black hair that fell to her hips, a round kindly face…and a very impressive bust size, her most noticeable feature. She wore her famous bright green blazer and skirt.

"You're all very active today," she said. She put her teaching books down on her desk. Ken watched her, his eyes filled with desire. In his eyes, his homeroom teacher was the most beautiful woman on Earth. She was his angel of kindness and intelligence.

"It's my fault, Miss Hachiya," he said sheepishly. "My little sister wanted to come with me to school."

Foncé took a glace at her partner's face and recognized his want. She broke away from the other students and approached the teacher. She gave Midori a dazzling smile and bowed, deeply and respectfully.

"_Bonjour Mademoiselle Hachiya. Je m'appelle Foncé._"

The classroom buzzed with praise.

"Oh my!" said Midori, highly impressed. "You're a very bright little girl!"

"My dear big brother taught me," Foncé replied.

"Really now!" Midori turned to Ken, who blushed and looked away. "That's amazing!"

"…Thank you," he said, unable to look her in the eye. He wished that Foncé had rehearsed this act with him before hand.

Midori's face hardly slightly. "But amazing or not, I can't allow her to stay in class. I can't have my students bringing their siblings into class like this."

She took Foncé's hand and led her to the door. "Come on, young lady. You can stay in the nurse's office with Mr. Hundred's little friend."

Ken watched them leave amidst complaints over taking Foncé away. "Hundred's little friend," he repeated to himself. Come to think of it, a little kid had been following the guy to school for a few days now. A somewhat odd looking kid at that.

Ken's hand instinctively went to his book bag, where Foncé's wonderful dark purple book resided. "_Rahkshi Hundred,_" he whispered, and glanced again at Hundred.

Inside the book bag, Foncé's book began to glow.

* * *

"There's a little boy in here, so you too can play together," said Midori cheerfully. She opened the nurse's door for Foncé. "Maybe you can teach him some French." 

"Alright, Miss Hachiya."

Midori smiled. "Did Ken tell you my name?"

"Yes he did. You're his favorite teacher."

"How sweet! I never knew he felt like that! Well, have fun!"

"I will."

Midori left, and Foncé was left to explain to the nurse her situation. When she was done she went to the back to see whom she would be sharing time with.

She heard an irritated muttering, and saw a small boy with his back to her standing on one of the clean white beds looking out a window. He had short thick black hair with white streaks running through it and wore a simple black sleeveless robe with a hood on the back.

Foncé's eyes widened. She recognized the boy.

_Project Yin-Yang. Golen's weapon. The Hybrid Devil. The one who rules light and darkness alike._

"Zero…"

**_To be continued..._**


	5. Level 5: Zero

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 5: ゼロ**

**Level 5: Zero**

"I thought I felt a Devil aura," the boy said without turning around. "One endlessly dark and decayed." He slowly turned his head, revealing a pale face and a pair of large red eyes with jagged black markings below them. "And overflowing with poison."

_That voice,_ Foncé thought, _so powerful and wicked. And such strength! I can feel it radiating from his body. So vast and endless! _

She felt dizzy, as if intoxicated. It was a marvelous feeling really, her heart thumping wildly.

_I can sense it, his hate and rage. It's bottomless! Oh, what a man!_

She was so lost in her thoughts that she wobbled slightly on her feet.

"What's with you?" asked Zero

Foncé straightened up, returning to her façade of unflappable coolness. "Oh, I'm just honored to be in the presence of the famous Hybrid Devil. How wonderful it must be to be created from the best traits of powerful Devils! Not even I, Foncé Ying, can have that privilege."

"So you're from that rich family back in the Ever Night Forest," he responded. "If you say so." He turned back to the window, a bored look on his face. It seemed to say: "I should be out fighting to become king, but _no!_ Instead I'm stuck in this dump!"

"I don't suppose you can convince your partner to find mine so we can fight," said Zero. "That might liven things up around here. Why does he have to go to school anyway? He can just ditch it and stick with me. There's more important things that school now, like making me king!"

"I don't want to fight you, Zero," said Foncé. "You're so powerful you would surely defeat me! I just wanted to see you again."

"Again?" he asked. "Am I supposed to know you or something?"

"Well, I've never formally met before, but this isn't the first time I've seen you in person."

* * *

I remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. My older brother, Imité Ying, had taken me into Spirit's Sanctuary so I could pick out a new book to buy. I had been considering a particular tome about various catastrophes throughout the ages. 

"Any book you want, baby sister," Imité said. He's a slender creature possessed of an androgynous beauty with long black hair and joint markings like myself. Even in the cold nights of Spirit's Sanctuary, he wore a scandalously tight and revealing outfit with a black silk scarf wrapped around his throat. He just liked the attention it inevitably gathered. I preferred dressing conservatively, and had worn one of my customary black dresses and a classy wide-brimmed black hat. People paid less attention to me, but I liked it that way. Everyone that I knew in our family loved to dress in various ways, and it makes sense considering that we all looked like animate dolls or mannequins.

We entered a circular plaza, various Creatures of the Night hurrying this way and that. I was beginning to think that it was time to throw another charity costume. Not because I'm generous toward the needy, but to show off my family's abundant wealth without looking like misers. Reputation is everything when you're rich and important to the community, and appearing miserly is one of the worst things than can happen.

Then a small Devil boy around my age walked passed us. His hair was black with white streaks and highlights. He had a round, pale face with angry red eyes. His eye markings were black and jagged, as if applied by a furious artist. He wore a sleeveless black cloak with a white "X" on the front.

I lost sight of him soon afterwards. It had only been for a few seconds, but I felt an incredible rage from him. It excited and even frightened me, in a good sort of way.

My brother cackled and said, "Did you see him, the handsome little cutie who stormed by?"

"Yes," I answered. "Do you know him?"

"That was Zero, that Hybrid Devil who now lives in Ever Night. Now _there's_ an elite! He was created by Golen to destroy his enemies, and was created from the best traits of three very powerful Devils. He didn't have to work at becoming elite—he was _born_ elite! I tell you baby sister, that's as close to perfection as you can hope for right there!"

Perfection. That unobtainable goal that my family had always strived for, no matter how impossible it was. I felt almost as though a god had brushed past me.

* * *

"That's nice," Zero said, not sounding terribly interested. 

Foncé stepped onto the bed and got next to Zero. Zero scooted away quickly, as if she were carrying some horrible disease.

"Don't be shy," she said.

"I'm not shy. I just like my personal space."

_So touchy. He'll be a tough nut to crack, but I can convince him to ally with me._

"So," she said, "have you burned any books yet?"

"Not nearly enough to make me happy."

"Do you like your partner?"

"None of your business."

"Do you miss the World of Devils?"

"Not really.

"Do you have any friends?"

"Leave me alone."

"Do you—"

Zero suddenly turned to her with a feral snarl, his lips drawn back to reveal teeth sharp and predatory.

"_I said leave me alone!_" he hissed.

Foncé was sure she had Zero figured out by now. There were a number of "victim types" to seduce, and she was confident Zero was of the lonely leader variety. There was only one way to act with such types, but it was very risky.

She smirked defiantly at the hybrid, and gently traced his chin and cheek with her gloved fingers. "You're cute when you're angry, you know."

Zero's snarl died away to be replaced by a look of stunned disbelief and horror.

She gave his cheek a little pinch, as if she were dealing with an adorably naughty little boy who needed to be scolded. "I rather like it," she cooed.

He took an angry swipe at her hand, but she pulled away. Zero stared incredulously at her for a moment before speaking.

"Don't _ever_ touch me," he growled.

Foncé shook her sad sadly. "Such a naughty little boy, aren't you Zero?" She suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Zero roughly by his shoulders and slammed him against the wall. He was so stunned that he could only stare at the strange girl.

She leaned into him, bringing her leering face very close to his. Her eyes gleamed with a feverish, psychotic light. "Well I can do the same," she hissed darkly. "And worse. Much, _much_ worse. You can be a monster, Zero, but I can be evil incarnate. So what do you say? Let's get together, make everyone who stands in our way, Devil or human, suffer in ways they never thought possible. Let's plunge this world into eternal darkness and conquer the World of Devils together!"

Zero felt conflicted in all sorts of peculiar new ways. The girl's sudden switch from fawning fan girl to the princess of darkness unnerved him to a degree he never before had experienced. This Foncé was creepy, weird, and downright disturbing. Her aura showed she wasn't just posing either; this was one malevolent Devil. He had to get out of there.

"If you're hitting on me," he said flatly, "forget it. I'm already taken."

Foncé's eyes narrowed, but she smiled bitterly and withdrew. "You've already taken a lover? I see."

There was an uncomfortable silence between them. Zero wished that Rahkshi's classes would end so that he could leave that dreadful school. He didn't want to spend another minute in the same room with Foncé. She just stood there, smiling creepily at him.

_Why couldn't we have met turning a fight instead?_ he thought. _At least she'd be busy trying to protect her book than talk to me. If we meet again—_

"I'm a tolerant person at heart," said Foncé, "so my offer will always remain open. Just let me know if your dark cravings cannot be satisfied by your current love."

"Fuck you!" Zero retorted. "I'm going to the other side of the room until school is over and our partners pick us up. Follow me, and I'll punch you in the mouth."

"Tsk tsk, Zero. You really need more discipline in your life. Discipline I'd more than happy to dispense. But don't worry; I can be very tender and gentle too."

Zero shuddered, and moved to the other side of the room. He was still disturbed, but at least she wasn't talking to him any more!

* * *

Foncé sat down on the bed and opened her book bag. She pulled out a book of world history she found in Ken's and began to read. 

_Lonely leaders,_ she thought smugly. _You just have to show them who's boss. Throw in some pain followed by some pleasure. Mark my words, Zero, I'll have you bleeding on the dirt, crying and begging me to hold you gently._

**_To be continued..._**


	6. Level 6: Devils

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 6: 魔界**

**Level 6: Devils**

School finally ended, and the students were finally free to enjoy the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday in peace.

"I think there's a book keeper in my class," Rahkshi Hundred said to his Devil partner as he left school. "This guy, Ken Bak, brought a little girl with him to class. He's never done that before, so I'm sure he's got a book. She got sent to the nurse's so you must've seen her. What did you think?"

Zero shook his head. "Yeah, she was a Devil, and the most warped one I've ever seen in my entire life. The sooner someone burn's her book the better."

"We can fight them right now. We just have to get them to go some place away from the school."

"No way! I don't wanna fight her now!"

_Zero's scared?_ thought Rahkshi. _This must be one nasty Devil._

"Is she really that powerful?"

"I don't know!" Zero snapped irritably. "I'm just afraid that she'll"—

He shuddered violently.

—"hit on me again."

_That's_ what this is about? Rahkshi struggled not to laugh out loud and failed very badly.

"It's not funny," growled Zero.

"Zero's got a girlfriend!" Rahkshi jeered. "Zero's got a girlfriend!"

"_She's not my girlfriend, human!_" Zero screamed.

Rahkshi, laughing, ran down the sidewalk, the angry Devil in hot pursuit. Neither of them noticed Miss Hachiya walking down the same sidewalk, tired and ready for a long bath.

The young teacher was passing a restaurant, and a young girl of about twelve suddenly charged out in front of her. Midori let out a soft cry and stepped back. "You really startled me, young lady!" she scolded. But then she took a better look at the girl. She was smeared with dirt and grime, and for clothes she wore a tattered oversized red basketball jersey and a pair of jeans. Covering her short black hair was a beat-up red cap. She held a large chestnut-colored book in her hands. In spite of her ragged appearance, the girl had a determined look in her brown eyes.

"Hey," the dirty tomboy-looking girl said, "can you take a look at this book?"

"Oh you poor thing!" Midori gasped. "Do you have a home?"

"No," the girl answered. "Not yet anyway. But can you please look at my book? It's really important."

Midori took the book. "Alright, if it'll make you happy. Then I'll see if I can get you a place to stay." She opened it and was confronted with some strange glowing symbols. She blinked, once, then twice. Her eyes must've been playing tricks on her. Books didn't glow. The strangest part was that she somehow understood the glowing glyphs. They said _Musruku_.

"Can you read it? asked the girl.

"Yes…" Midori said dreamily, the glow of the book reflected in her glasses.

The girl grinned and pumped her arm in a victory stance. "All right! Looks like I've found my new home!"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Kathy Fujimoto looked at the dark pastel green book in her hands, then at the teenager who gave her the book. "I don't know," the twelve-year-old said. "I shouldn't be talking to strangers."

"Hey," said the teenager, "I'm not too strange, am I kid?"

Kathy looked at the teenager. She was beautifully a beautiful African-looking girl and had an amazing bosom. But her wild fluffy hair was a strange greenish-yellow, and instead of clothes she wore a skirt made from palm tree leaves and a pair of hollowed out coconuts for a bra. That was strange even for a hardcore southern California girl. Not to mention the girl had been doing a weird shimmying dance that embarrassed everyone.

"Yeah, you're kind strange."

_Beautiful too,_ she thought guiltily.

"Please!" the girl said. "Pretty please, look at my book!"

"Oh—okay, just a peek."

She took it and, and the girl's eyes lit up when she saw the pages glow.

"What is this?" asked Kathy.

The girl smiled. "I'm Xenia, and this is my spell book. Nice to meet you, partner."

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"What the fuck kind of language is this?" asked New York filmmaker Roger Kaufman as he examined the pages of the asparagus-colored book. "Hebrew? Hey! Now's it's glowing! How'd you do that?"

The deformed giant of a man smiled. "You can read it?"

"Yeah, I can," said Kaufman. "Weird. I even know how to pronounce this line." He looked up. "Hey, I'm a movie director, and I've been looking for a big guy for my latest picture, _The Atomic Crusader_! I think you'd be perfect as the hero!"

"A hero?" the big man asked. "Really? No one's called me a hero before! Thanks a lot, mister!"

"The name's Kaufman! Roger Kaufman! The president and co-founder of Amort Entertainment, the world's oldest independent movie studio! What's your name?"

"I'm Atom," the big man said bashfully.

"Well Adam, I think you've a future in movies!"

They began to walk off into the heart of New York City.

"And I think this is the start of a long friendship," said Atom. "Oh, Roger, there's something I've got to explain…"

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

The beautiful boy glared at him.

"Look old man, I've got to find my little sister, so just read the stupid book already."

Lord Daniel Squalor opened the Persian blue book, and found it to glow.

"Why is this book glowing?"

The boy's eyes lit up. "Yes! You're the one! Let's go!"

"What?" asked Squalor. "Who are you? What's going on here?"

"I'm Imité, and I'm going to make you more powerful than ever before!"

Squalor shrugged. "Good enough for me," he said.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

Foncé was looking out of Ken's window at the city below and at the setting sun.

"The battle for the World of Devils's ruler is just beginning," she said to her partner. "Even as we speak, more Devils are finding their partners and preparing for the fight. I got here a little earlier than most, so we have an advantage."

She turned away from the window and looked at Ken.

"Let's train tonight, Ken."

**_To be continued..._**


	7. Level 7: Battle

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

* * *

_do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 7: バトル**

**Level 7: Battle**

Ken glared at his opposite, a boy with a red buzz-cut and a leather jacket holding a pale sandy brown book. Next to him was a small kid with light blue skin, blonde hair, and oversized pink lips. They stood in the park as the sun set. No one else was there.

_It looks like practice is going to be a little more intense than I anticipated,_ thought Foncé. _Our first battle! Oh, I know that you're going to just love this, Ken!_

The Devil boy made a disgusting puckering sound with his mouth. "I can't believe it," he slurped. "They actually let freaks like you enter this battle. Revolting Creatures of the Night. The king should've exterminated you all when he had the chance."

_Freak?_ thought Ken. _Is this kid serious? He really thinks Foncé's a freak and he's not?_

"Of course you fear and hate us," said Foncé, "It's called the politics of envy. You wish you were as powerful and intelligent as us Creatures, but you can't so you try your best to make elites like us out to be oppressive tyrants and villains."

_Creatures of the Night?_ Ken thought. _What's this about?_

"What did you say, night trash!" the Devil kid yelled. "You think you're better than normal Devils? You're just evil monsters!"

Foncé smiled. "Not all of us. By no means not all of us." She stepped forward and her smile widen further than Ken had ever seen before. "But I proudly proclaim myself an evil monster!"

The kid raised his hand. "Ei'ichirou! Teach this night trash that she can't bad-mouth the little guy!"

The pale sandy brown book began to glow and Ei'ichirou held it out. "_Joboido!_"

The kid's cheeks puffed out and he spat a stream of purple liquid at Foncé. "Run Ken!" she ordered. The two broke up, the Joboido stream passing harmlessly between them. It struck the ground, sizzling as it ate through the earth. Smoke rose from the caustic fluid.

"Egalitarians," Foncé muttered. "Always spiting at the elites because they're jealous of what we've achieved." She stopped running and faced the kid at an angle, her left hand facing him. "Do it, Ken!"

Ken held the book, and it glowed a toxic purple color. He thought it was the most beautiful color in the world now. "_Anheiru!_"

The ray of darkness shot from Foncé's palm and struck the slower kid. There was a silent burst of black energy, and the kid was knocked on his back.

"Spil!" Ei'ichirou cried. "You okay, man?"

"Ow! Shit!" said Spil as he sat up. "Fucking night trash!"

"Hey! They're gone!"

"Cowards!"

* * *

"Why are we running away?" asked Ken. They were charging through the park. He struggled to keep up with her. 

"I want to play with them a bit," said Foncé. "You don't have the hatred you had earlier, so we can't just obliterate them. Come on. It'll be night soon."

* * *

"I think I saw them!" 

"_Joboido!_"

The stream of acid completely destroyed a nearby bush.

Foncé then walked out of the bushes in front of them. "You missed me."

"Where's her partner?" asked Spil.

Ken popped up behind them and grinned. Foncé pointed her hand at Spil.

"_Anheiru!_"

The beam struck the kid with greater force. The impact hurled his back, crashing him into a tree.

Ei'ichirou looked around, and Kan slammed his book into the other boy's face. Ei'ichirou staggered back in pain, dropping his own book. Foncé ran forward and snatched it up. Ken marveled at how fast she could be when she wanted to.

She held the book in her right hand and pointed her left at it, angling her hand so that her Anheiru would destroy the top right corner of the book. Ken grinned, and stepped on Ei'ichirou's back. "The first spell!" he declared loudly. "_Anheiru!_"

The beam fired out, making the book disintegrate. Spil had just recovered from being blasted when he began to vanish. "_Shit!_" he screeched. "You elitist night trash! You ruined my chance to be king!"

"It's a sad state of affairs when the word 'elitist' has become an insult," said Foncé. "Go back with the rest of the losers."

Spil then returned to the World of Devils. There wasn't a trace left of him.

"What do we do with this guy?" asked Ken.

"I still want to practice." She pointed her hand at Ei'ichirou, and Ken stepped off. "Ken, imagine that this boy is the one who you stabbed with the pencil."

Ei'ichirou looked up and saw Foncé's palm. His eyes widened with absolute terror. "No! No! You can't be serious! You won! You burned the fucking book!"

"Foncé," said Ken, what little conscience he had left making him falter. "You're…going to kill him?"

"Just do it, Ken."

Ken swallowed, but tried thinking back to that moment. The book began to glow evilly. Foncé's eyes gleamed in the darkness.

"Christ, no!" Ei'ichirou screamed. Foncé stuck her hand centimeters away from his face, cold black energy arcing from her palm.

Ken's rage built as he forced himself to relieve his hated memories. The book seemed to be burning with purple light, and black electricity sparked around it. A similar aura began to form around Foncé, giving her an especially nightmarish appearance.

"Back away Ken," said Foncé with a terribly calm voice. "This one will be more powerful than any other."

At her command, he backed away, the glow fading only slightly.

"_NO!_" Ei'ichirou scrambled to his feet, deciding that risking getting blasted while making a run for it was better than sitting around and getting blasted for sure, and bolted. "Help! _Help!_"

Foncé kept her hand trained on the running form. Her smile had now turned into stretching, psychotic grin, her lips drawn back to reveal nearly all of her teeth.

"Say the word, Ken," she intoned breathlessly. "Say it! Kill him!"

"_ANHEIRU!_" he screeched.

Ei'ichirou heard the spell being cast and briefly looked behind him. The oncoming beam of darkness was the last thing he ever saw.

* * *

Foncé and Ken headed back to the Bak apartment. Ken felt oddly numb. He had just killed someone, had pulled the trigger by reading the spell, yet he felt…very little. He didn't feel particularly bad, or particularly good. It seemed almost casual. 

Foncé though seemed quite pleased. She was smiling broadly, and skipped excitedly rather than walked. "I can hardly wait for the next fight!" she crooned.

"Foncé," said Ken, "what did that Devil mean by calling you a 'Creature of the Night'?"

"Oh, that? Well I'm actually a special type of Devil, an inhabitant of a place called the Ever Night Forest. We Creatures of the Night were branded as having evil powers a long time ago, so we were exiled to Ever Night. As a Creature of the Night, other Devils are prejudiced against me, and may try harder to burn my book and return me to the World of Devils. It's a bit of a handicap that will make our accomplishments all the more great once we surmount it."

"So there's discrimination based on who you are even in the World of Devils?"

"It's not that bad for me. I recognize that it's mostly jealously. They fear our greater powers. I'm especially well off as my powers double at night."

_That explains why your second attack on that Devil seemed much stronger than the first,_ he thought.

Foncé looked up at the night sky. "With your rage and the power of the night amplifying my spells, I will be invincible."

Ken smiled darkly. He could get used to this very quickly. "You want to you tomorrow?"

"Yes, please."

Ken opened the book, and was surprised to find a line of glowing symbols. They said _Anshield_.

"There's a new spell," he said.

**_To be continued..._**


	8. Level 8: Foncé’s History

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Pronounciation guide:_

_Sabré (sahb-RAY)_

_Reina Madre (RAY-nah mahd-reh)_

_Gentilé (jehn-tee-LAY)_

_Garçoné (ghar-soh-NAY)_

_Imité (ee-mee-TAY)_

_Pointé (pwahn-TAY)_

_Violetté (vee-oh-leh-TAY)_

* * *

**Level 8: フォンセの史**

**Level 8: Foncé's History**

Ken couldn't sleep. The air was hot that night, and the futon seemed rough and itchy. He turned over and over, trying to find a comfortable position. He punched at his buckwheat chaff pillow. It was in vain.

He took a glance at the digital clock next to his head. 3:15.

"Shit," he whispered.

A small hand brushed against his arm. "You can't sleep?" asked Foncé.

"No I can't," he grumbled.

Foncé sat up in her smaller futon. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Not unless you can put me to sleep with your magic. Now I'm wide awake." He flopped over and sighed. There was a long silence.

"Foncé?"

"Yes?"

"Could you tell me a bit more about yourself? I mean, we've been together for a few days now, but I don't know you too well."

"What do you want to know about me?"

"I don't know. Your life maybe. Just tell me what comes to mind."

She smiled softly in the darkness. "Very well, Ken. If this will bring us closer. We have to know each other if we're going to be partners."

* * *

I was born in the Ever Night Forest, and, until now, lived there my entire life. My family had lived there for generations, and I suspect it will for generations more. We are very rich and important to the community. My family had produced several elders for the Ever Night capital of Spirit's Sanctuary, so we are held in high esteem. We aren't just nouveau rich either—we are aristocrats, the highest of the high culture. 

I lived at our ancestral home of Eaunoir-Sishang Manor with my parents and siblings. My father is named Sabré Ying and my mother is named Reina Madre. My siblings are Gentilé Ying, Garçoné Ying, Imité Ying, and Pointé Ying.

My father and mother were very strict parents, determined to raise us as proper elites and aristocrats. I would say they largely succeeded. We learned to defer to authority and power, and to be ambitious. We were taught to always strive for greatness, to always forge ahead, to prove that we were better than everyone else. For the longest time we were home schooled to put us ahead of all the other Devils when we finally were to attend the academy. I look back on them with nothing but fondness. They were hard on us, but only to prepare us for the harshness of life.

My siblings were a rather mixed bunch. I was the youngest of the children. Born not long before me was a sister, Gentilé. She had a talent for poetry, music, and dancing. She became quite renowned for her musical performances. Gentilé was not spoiled by her success though; she is very modest and quiet.

Born not long before Gentilé was a brother, Garçoné. Garçoné did not seem to enjoy his privileged lifestyle as much, desiring to live out a "normal" life like most of the other children he associated with. He also was jealous of the more refined talents the rest of us. Even though he was older than her, Garçoné often relied upon Gentilé for guidance. Garçoné wasn't a total loss however; he was fiercely competitive in sports and other games he played with children.

Born a few years before Garçoné was Imité. He is very close to me, and is a very sneaky and flamboyant sort who likes to court attention at all costs. Like Gentilé, he loves the stage, but is an actor rather than a dancer. He is somewhat infamous for being a dandy.

A few years before Imité was Pointé, a sister. Pointé's a sultry, seductive girl who is a bit lazy and loves the high life. She spent more time with her boyfriend, Rodeaux, than with me, so I did not see her all that much.

In addition to our family, we had some regular servants. There was Rictus the butler, Jive-Riff the cook, Sluggy the wardrobe keeper, and Carne the guard. There was also Miss Belasco the tutor. All in all, we lived together quite well.

* * *

"That's interesting," said Ken, "but I want to know more about you personally." 

"I was getting there," Foncé said with a slight note of irritation in her voice.

* * *

I usually spent my time reading or studying. This led my father to call me his little scholar. I had an appetite for learning, and just could not seem to learn enough. That pleased my parents, for they thought it was very important to question everything to learn. They indulged my scientific curiosity, buying me books and having my own private laboratory installed. That laboratory was a lot of fun and I miss it so. 

Aside from Imité, my primary playmates were a trio of elder children named Lock, Key, and Chain. They recognized my intelligence and made me their leader. We often played in an old tree house they made. I would wear crowns that Key made from black twilight roses and we would pretend I was the queen of the World of Devils and they were my loyal subordinates.

The tales of the last Devil Battle enchanted me, particularly the ones my father told us. My favorite story was when he lost his eye—and his chance to be king—to his rival, a Devil by the name of Pamoon, in a fierce fight that lasted for hours, or so he claimed.

I wanted to be in the next Devil Battle very badly. I swore that I would be different from the other Devils, more devious and cunning. I would form and break alliances, trade information to the highest bidder through spy networks, found a secret empire made up of Devils as elite as I would. I knew and understood the nature of power very well, perhaps better than any other in my family. I had researched the strategies of the most successful Devils before me and knew their tactics by heart. I knew that I could win if given the chance.

As you've seen, I'm a highly ambitious person thanks to my elitist upbringing, but I had another reason for wanting to enter the battle, one I kept secret from everyone but Imité, Lock, Key, and Chain—I wanted to hurt people, to _kill_ people. I wanted to crush and humiliate those lesser Devils before making them submit to me. I wanted to revel in their pain and suffering and terror. I would become a nightmare to all other Devils, my name whispered in fear. They would tell tales of how I devoured the flesh of fallen book keepers, of my ruthlessness in combat. And I would do it all just to show that I could.

* * *

Foncé was breathing hard now, her eyes alit with a hideous excitement. 

"You're really sick, you know that Foncé?" said Ken, and grinned. "I like it."

His smile then faded. "Something's been bugging me about you though. You're—what?—seven? Yet you act more like an adult than a little kid. What's up with that?"

Foncé grew silent for a moment.

"I…don't know why myself. It's really very strange. My parents always told me that it was as if I were born with an adult's brain. I can remember many times when studying that I felt like I knew most of the material even though I was reading about it for the first time. It is as if I knew this information from before, but it is impossible. I've tried to figure out why it is I now these things, but I've never been able to determine the exact reason."

"Any theories?"

"None that make sense. I don't like any of them."

"Oh."

"Is that enough?"

"Enough what?"

"About me?"

Ken yawned. "I guess so. It's still nice knowing more about you."

"Thank you."

Ken turned over in his futon. "Let's try the new spell today. I hope it's more dangerous than the last."

"I don't think so, but we'll see."

"Good night Foncé."

"Good night Ken."

Foncé slid back into her futon even though she was still wide awake. She felt troubled that Ken brought up her unusual maturity level. She remembered the research papers her father had made turning the last battle, explaining about the "shocking family secret" he was on the verge of rediscovering before his book was burned. He did not say what he thought he discovered, but it involved an ancestor named Violetté Ying who fought several battles ago and something called he called _le Monde des Ténèbres_—the World of Darkness. Somehow, Foncé couldn't help but think that it had something to do with her. It was ridiculous of course—instinct should never be allowed to overcome reason and logic—but she just couldn't shake the feeling.

Foncé stared up at the ceiling. She did not know what it was she was hoping to discover, but she was determined to find out, no matter what the cost might be.

**_To be continued..._**


	9. Level 9: Bad Taste

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_This chapter is a little short. The next one should be longer._

* * *

**Level 9: バッド・テイスト**

**Level 9: Bad Taste**

Two weeks came and went. Through a combination of hard training, grand larceny, and outright murder, not only did Foncé and Ken acquire two new spells (Ganzu Anheiru and Anheiruga) they became very wealthy with ill-gotten riches. Ken not only ditched school altogether, he ran away from home to concentrate on Foncé's goal of becoming queen. "I already know all I need to from junior high," said Ken when Foncé asked him about how he felt, "and my mom can get along well enough without me." Two now lived by moving from hotel to hotel under the assumed names of Yoshihiro and Naoko Kishimoto.

Ken was having more fun than he had before in his life now. He found the cancerous allure of the criminal lifestyle to be quite exhilarating, although not as explosive and action-packed as one of those _Grand Theft Auto_ games he got to play every once in a while.

Foncé was enjoying it too. Not only did Ken satisfy nearly every cruel desire she had, she had discovered a new source of heart energy to feed off of in addition to Ken's rage: his greed. With these seemingly endless negative emotions to exploit she felt invincible. Her new spells were very helpful too. Anshield created a circular black barrier that absorbed amounts of energy. Ganzu Anheiru allowed Foncé to rapidly shoot destructive black spheres. Finally, Anheiruga fired a concentrated bream of black energy in a drilling corkscrew shape.

To reward Ken, Foncé introduced Ken to the elegant gothic aristocrat similar to what her own family wore, made famous in Japan by that most fashionable of cross dressers Mana. This was not just to make Ken compatible with her style—it made him completely unrecognizable to anyone who previously knew him. Before his change, Ken was handsome in a plain sort of way with his thin brown hair and average facial features. When Foncé handed him a mirror after she gave him his makeover not even he recognized himself. The makeup she gave him made his face as pale as her own, and his eyes peered broodingly from circles of thick black eye shadow. She had painted his lips black, and his hair, now dyed black was straightened to fall artfully down his face. He was given new clothes too: A midnight-black coat and trousers with a silk top hat, silver cross pendant, and black leather gloves. As a final touch she presented him with an ebony cane with a silver handle. Ken now looked nothing more than the type of sinister androgynous gentlemen she found so beautiful.

In addition to this drastic makeover, Foncé taught Ken about high culture, making him go to famous art museums and theatre houses. It was tiring, but Foncé felt proud of herself for what she did.

One day, she came in to their latest up-scale hotel room with a stack of D.V.D.'s in her arms.

"What are those?" asked Ken, carefully combing his hair. Lately he had been considering getting some purple contact lenses to make himself further resemble Foncé.

"Some films I thought would get us in the mood," she stated matter-of-factly.

"Mood?" asked Ken. He walked over to the D.V.D.'s and examined them. The first depicted a flabby rubbery-looking man with sunken eyes extending his middle finger to whoever was looking at the box. The title was _Bad Taste_, and the cover claimed that a man named Peter Jackson directed it.

"Wait a minute," said Ken. "It doesn't mean _that_ Peter Jackson, does it?" A few days before they had watched all three of the _Lord of the Rings_ films back to back. Ken loved them just as much as he loved the original book, and Foncé was impressed, but she said she was used to a different kind of entertainment.

As it turned out when they put the movie in, it really did turn out to be the same Peter Jackson. He showed up in the film itself in two separate acting rolls, thinner and younger, but still recognizable as the award-winning New Zealand director. The film was about bumbling aliens who wanted to turn humans into fast food, and a small organization of equally bumbling men who fight back. Ken had never seen so much blood in a single movie before…that is, until Foncé put in another movie, _Braindead_. Another early effort by Jackson, this one was a zombie picture. The end featured a young man using his lawnmower to destroy a horde of flesh-eating ghouls in an orgy of blood and gore that was so ludicrous it became one of the funniest things Ken had ever seen.

"I never knew what a blood-thirsty weirdo Jackson is!" said Ken, still laughing. "More! More!"

The next was an Italian film called _Cannibal Holocaust_. It reminded Ken of that film _The Blair Witch Project_, only with extreme violence. A film crew goes deep into the jungles of South America and vanishes. Later their footage is discovered, and the crew is shown to have cruelly treated a native tribe until the tribe killed them. It was more horrible than any other movie Ken had seen…and the entire time, Foncé had this excited, joyous glean in her eyes. She was deeply enjoying a film that was never intended to be enjoyed.

And so it went for the rest of the night, with films like _The Hills Have Eyes_, _Zombi 2_, _The Evil Dead_, and _The Last House On the Left_. Before the night was done, Ken had seen more movie violence in one sitting than most people saw in a decade. Many of the films were cheaply and primitively made, but that somehow made them more grotesque.

"I think I've had enough for one night," said Ken. "Just turn the sound down."

"Alright Ken."

She scooted over to him and gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Good night," she said with a small smile.

Ken put a hand lightly to his cheek, a little surprised by her act of affection. "Uh, good night Foncé."

**_To be continued..._**


	10. Level 10: Zero Versus Foncé

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. So is Arisha. If you haven't read his stories, please do so._

* * *

**Level 10: ゼロ対フォンセ**

**Level 10: Zero Versus Foncé **

_Why?_ Foncé thought bitterly. _Why do I have to feel this way?_

It was a few days after their horror binge, and Ken and Foncé were taking a leisurely evening stroll down the streets of Mochinoki. They had just finished watching a showing of Richard Wagner's _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_ and Ken couldn't stop talking about it.

"The only comedy among Wagner's mature operas!" Ken gushed. "And the only one with an entirely original story by the man himself! Oh you were right Foncé! The elitist life is just grand!"

"Yes, it certainly is," Foncé said distractedly. Her mind wasn't on _Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg_ but on a book Ken suggested to her called _Interview with the Vampire_. He liked it, but she mostly just found it silly and trite in its depiction of vampires. She knew some Vampire Devils who were merciless predators, and they would have been insulted by the portrayal of vampires in the book. But there was something that struck a chord with her, and that was the character of Claudia the vampire child. Claudia was a little girl, close to Foncé's own age, when she got turned into a vampire. Over the years her mind developed into womanhood but her body remained the same, leading to no small amount of frustration on Claudia's part. Particularly bothersome was her desire to love, but she physically was unable to.

Lately, Foncé had begun to feel the same way. Not too long before she had started to have what she could only refer to as _feelings_ for Ken. It was psychologically impossible, but Foncé was sure that she felt love (or at least what they called a crush) for her partner. She reckoned that her mind was so developed that she had fooled herself into thinking that was a full-grown woman. It was inexplicable and totally illogical, but that was the best explanation she could come up with. She hadn't told Ken of course—she figured that that might be too disturbing, even for him.

_Then again, this country doesn't seem to frown on drastic difference in age between lovers, _she thought, remembering the book _The Tale of Genji_ and various _manga_ Ken had shown her. Some had depicted romance between boys significantly older than their girlfriends.

On the other hand, none of these romances were between a fourteen-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl.

Ken twirled his new cane as he walked. "I feel like the king of the world!" he said. "And I will be, eventually, with your help, Foncé!"

"Yes, of course Ken."

* * *

The sun was setting. Foncé and Ken still hadn't returned to their hotel. 

"We will need to leave Japan eventually," said Foncé. "We will look suspicious on our own, so we may need to have a guardian figure to accompany us."

"Guardian figure?" Ken asked. "What do you mean 'guardian figure'?"

"We get someone to pose as our legal guardian, preferably someone rich and influential."

"Oh," said Ken. "Splendid idea. I saw we find a beautiful young woman and claim she's our mother. I'd agree that quickly enough!" His eyes twinkled mischievously.

"I'm being serious here Ken," Foncé said, feeling a little jealous in spite of herself. "I—"

She looked ahead and saw a familiar small boy in a black cloak with a white "X" on the front walking their way. Next to him was an average-looking boy with messy brown hair, and was dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and black knee-length black trousers. In his hand was a book. One with a color combination of red, black, red, and silver. Finishing the picture was a large scratch mark on the cover.

"Rahkshi Hundred?" said Ken, sounding somewhat surprised.

"Zero," Foncé chuckled suggestively. "Fancy meeting you here." Her spirits rose just seeing her "boyfriend".

Zero shuttered with revulsion and took a step back. "Oh god, not you again," he hissed.

Rahkshi pointed at Foncé. "I remember you. You're the Devil Ken Bak brought to school that day." His gaze turned from Foncé to Ken. Rahkshi made a bewildered face when he saw Ken and his black lips, black hair, black suit, black hat, and black cane. "Uh, wow. I didn't think you were the type who went for the elegant gothic aristocrat look, Bak."

"Get ready to fight, Rahk!" Zero commanded. "These freaks are dangerous!"

Ken removed Foncé's dark purple tome from his pack. "Great," he said with a twisted grin as it began glowing. "I was in the mood for some book-burning."

"The only book getting burned here," Rahkshi retorted as he opened his own glowing book, "is yours, you creepy makeup-wearing goth wannabe!"

Ken pointed his cane at Rahkshi. "Big words for some worthless punk kid!"

Overhead, swirling dark clouds began to form, attracted by the negative energies Foncé and Zero were radiating.

Foncé stepped back to Ken's side. "Hold back," she whispered.

"Hold back," he repeated, not taking his eyes off of Rahkshi.

"Let's end this quickly," Zero said quietly to his partner.

"Got you. _Rakeru!_"

A spiraling beam of black and white energy emerged from Zero's right hand and shot toward the book in Ken's hand.

"_Anshield!_" Ken cried. A circular shield composed of pure darkness formed in front of himself and Foncé. Rakeru struck the barrier and strained against it.

Foncé smirked. This was the strongest attack they had thus far encountered, just as she expected. Not that it would do Zero any good. Prior experiments with Anshield taught her that prolonged attacks upon it drained the heart energy of the attacker's partner.

Ken grinned. He just had to keep Anshield up until the attack faded. His enemy would be finding out the hard way that that they just plain superior to everyone else out there.

"Something's wrong!" said Rahkshi. He didn't feel quite right. Then Rakeru flickered and vanished all together before his very eyes.

"What?" said Zero in disbelief.

"My turn," said Foncé. "Ken!"

"_Anheiru!_" Foncé fired her beam of pure darkness at Zero.

_That's it?_ Zero thought. He wouldn't even need Trashield for this. He held out his hands in a defensive stance and caught the beam. It was freezing cold and fairly powerful for a low-level spell, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

_They're testing me,_ he thought. His mouth drew back in a snarl. _Damn it! If their weakest attack is this strong how powerful are their other offensive spells? _

Anheiru finally dissipated, and Zero stepped back slightly. "Rahk, there's only one to end this right now!"

Rahkshi nodded. "Right! _Rioru Rakeru!_"

Zero opened his hands and unleashed two Rakeru from each hand. This took Foncé and Ken by surprise. The double spell slammed them aside easily. Foncé was sent tumbling to the street. Ken dropped his can and reflexively covered the book with both arms. The Rakeru had struck him square in the stomach. He reeled back until he hit a wall. His eyes bulged with pain and rage.

"_You…little shit!_" he gurgled.

_That spell,_ Foncé thought as she struggled to her knees, _I felt both light and darkness in it! So this is the Hybrid Devil's power. Does his darkness increase with nightfall too?_

"Had enough, you freaky bitch?" asked Zero. "Hand over the book now and end it all."

Ken looked up, his eyes blazing with pure, unbridled hatred. "You…you _dare_ demand something from _us!_ From an elite Devil like my Foncé!"

He slowly got to his feet. His book seemed ablaze with unholy purple fire. It extended around Ken, enveloping him in its poisonous violet embrace.

"_I'm_ going to be something, Hundred! _I'm_ going to rule this entire planet one day, and I'll make you all pay! You'll all pay for trying to hold me back!"

Something about these words made anger well up inside Rahkshi. His eyes narrowed at his opposite. "I never did anything to you, Bak! Don't lump me in with the bastards who tormented you!"

"_Shut the fuck up!_" Ken screamed. "You're all guilty! You're all against me!" His eye blazed insanely. Zero saw that Foncé's bookkeeper was almost as dangerous as she was in his own way.

"Yes, that's it Ken!" Foncé hissed as she slowly stood up. The same evil purple aura now flowed around her like a billowing sorcerer's cloak. "Give me that hatred! That wonderful poisonous hatred! I feel it! I feel it flowing through me!" Her eyes turned completely purple without any pupils or irises, and her grin stretched monstrously across her ivory face. "There's a new spell, I know it! Read it Ken! Quickly!"

A sharp, cold wind whipped past them, and thunder could be heard in the distance. The storm triggered by the two Devils covered the whole sky now. The dark clouds churned above them in a dark vortex.

The wind caused some of the pages of Ken's book to turn. A formerly unreadable page was revealed to be glowing brightly. Ken glanced at it and grinned. He knew what to do.

"The fifth spell!" he roared. Zero turned to Rahkshi.

"Rahk, we've got to hit them with our hardest spell now or they're gonna wipe us out for sure!"

Rahkshi trembled as he flipped through Zero's book. "The fourth spell!"

"_HUANG'OU ANHEIRUGA!_"

"_IRON RAKERUGA!_"

Crackling black streams of black energy exploded from Foncé's hands and mouth. The streams twisted upwards snakelike, combining themselves into a tight ball. The ball expanded, taking on the shape of a large bird.

An orb of pulsing light energy formed in Zero's right. In his left, an orb of throbbing dark energy. They had only used this spell once before, back in France a few days before when they fought against a Devil, Pattie, who mistook Zero for someone named Gash. Iron Rakeruga had utterly obliterated the giant wave Pattie had created to do away with them.

Huang'ou Anheiruga had finished forming. It was a giant Chinese phoenix formed completely out of pure darkness. It spread its wings and screeched hideously. Its eyes glowed a hateful purple, the same as the book that created it.

"Holy shit," Rahkshi squeaked. This spell was beyond anything he had previously seen in the relatively sort time he was in the Devil Battle.

_It's now or never,_ Zero thought, and released the orbs at the phoenix monster. The Iron Rakeruga orbs and the Huang'ou Anheiruga collided in midair, both slowing down. The orbs began releasing their energy into their target. Light and dark exploded around the purely dark.

Zero watched grimly. Rahkshi stared with guarded optimism.

There was no movement from either spell for a moment. Then the orb of light began to turn black, polluted with the extreme darkness of Huang'ou Anheiruga. It shrank and collapsed inward, crumbling away. The dark orb soon followed.

Rahkshi stared in horror as their strongest spell was laid to waste. "No," he moaned. "No…"

The phoenix came streaking toward them.

There was only one thing left. "_TRASHIELD!_" A triangular barrier composed of light and darkness formed in front of Zero and his partner. Rahkshi screamed as he poured every remaining amount of heart energy into this one protective spell.

Ken laughed. "Idiots! You can't possibly hope to hold off our attack with cheap prop!"

Zero gritted his teeth and narrowed his eyes. If they lost this match it was all over. He would never get to fight Brago, Zoffis, or Zeon, the Devils whose D.N.A. created him. He would forever lose his chance to be king.

"There's no way we're gonna lose now," he growled. "Not this soon!"

Huang'ou Anheiruga pressed into Trashield. The barrier began to turn completely black, and cracks formed at the base.

"Zero," Rahkshi gasped breathlessly, his voice filled with regret, "I…can't…hold it any more…" He collapsed.

Then Trashield crumbled away.

_This is it,_ Zero thought, and braced for impact.

The eerily quiet explosion leveled that section of the street and sidewalk. Zero was sent flying back, his entire body numb from the dark energy. He felt life all the warmth was ripped from his body. He couldn't even cry out.

Then, after an eternity, he hit the pavement. Hard.

He lay there on his back, unable to even feel the pain through the numbness. Using every once of will, he turned his head to the right. Lying flat on the ground not far from him on was Rahkshi. He was facedown in the deserted street, his arms tucked underneath him.

_My book_, thought Zero, _Rahk saved my book by shielding it from the explosion with his own body._

"Still here?" asked Ken as he picked up his cane. "You sure are a tough one."

"You dirtied our fine garments, Zero," Foncé said causally. "For that, we will kill your partner rather than just burn your book."

"No…" Zero groaned, feeling returning to him. He struggled unsteadily to his feet and reached out to Foncé. "Please…no…"

Foncé sneered. "Oh? Is there something you can do to convince us not to kill your friend?" She pointed her hand at the unconscious Rahkshi. The book began to glow again in Ken's hands."

"The first spell! _An—_"

"_NO! _Wait!" Zero coughed and stepped toward Foncé. "I'll—I'll do…anything you say…Just spare my partner and my book…"

Foncé lowered her hand, a small sly smile creeping onto her face. "Anything, Hybrid Devil?"

"Anything…"

"That's just want I wanted to hear! I'll tell you what: Bow and proclaim your allegiance to me."

Zero fought back his anger and stumbled toward Foncé. Before he could bow, Ken took his cane and smashed Zero in the small of his back with the handle. "On your knees, worm!" he yelled.

Zero collapsed painfully before the little girl. Without looking at her he groaned out, "I pledge myself to you, Foncé Ying."

Foncé frowned and knelt beside Zero. She gently put her arms around him, and smiled at his shutter of revulsion. "You poor thing," she whispered coquettishly into his ear. "You could've joined me painlessly back at the school, but no, you had to be a naughty little boy and reject me. That wasn't very nice of you, and now look where it's gotten you."

She stood up over him. "You have my word that no harm shall come to either your partner or your book, Zero. Betray my trust though, and it will be your partner who suffers the consequences rather than you. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Wonderful. We shall take you to our hotel to recover. I'm glad we could come to term, Hybrid Devil."

As Foncé and Ken began tolaugh mockingly, Zero pulled his hand back. With a roar he slammed it as hard as he could into the pavement, shattering it in a single blow. His fist remained in the deep hole he created. His teeth were clenched tightly together, and hot, angry, frustrated tears began to roll down his face.

_Rahkshi…Arisha…Forgive me…_

As his tears touched the pavement, it began to rain.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's Notes: What an upset! Zero actually lost to Foncé? Yes constant readers! But at least Zero still has his book, so all is not lost!_

_I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I did writing it. Unfortunately, it will be the last chapter Iwill write for a while, as I'll be going on a summer vacation, and I won't be able to write. I'll still be ableread and respond tofeedback though! So please, tell me what you thought of this one!_


	11. Level 11: Chérie

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. So is Arisha and Zorcu. _

_Author's note: I'm back! Oh happy day! It feels so good to write again! I tell you, I just love to write._

_If any of you wondered what "Kokushoku no Foncé!" means, here's the answer. Makoto Raiku's original manga is called_ Konjiki no Gash!_ That literally means "Gold (Color) Gash!" in Japanese. "Kokushoku no Foncé!" is a play off of that, translating to "Black (Color) Foncé!"_

* * *

**Level 11: シェリー**

**Level 11: Chérie**

Zero, Rahkshi, Arisha, and Zorcu stood in an icy valley at the foot of a vast black tower that stretched endlessly into the gray sky. Cliffs of ice surrounded them. They were trapped in the valley, and it was freezing cold, but it didn't matter even though they were wearing casual clothes. The tower was magnificent in an ominous sort of way, and Zero knew that what lay inside would give them all their answers.

"There," Rahkshi said, pointing. "The tower. See how it awaits us, there at the end of the valley."

"Yes, it's very beautiful," Arisha said. Then she pointed to the massive double doors of the dark tower. "But what if someone got here first?"

"I wouldn't worry about that," Rahkshi said. "Those doors look like they haven't been opened for a long ti—"

At that moment the doors swung outward with a thunderous crash that tore through the frigid air. From beyond the threshold, a huge black bulldozer lunged through the opening, chugs of thick black exhaust ascending like smoke signal warnings. Even the blade was black, although the words slashed across its scoop—VIVE LA PRINCESSE DE L'OBSCURITÉ—were written in a red as bright as fresh blood. Sitting in the peak-seat, their faces leering down at them from above the controls, was a young man in dark makeup wearing a top hat and a small girl with evil purple eyes.

Top hat lowered the bulldozer's blade. It tore across the ice on a diagonal, slicing through the snow. Behind them loomed a vast tidal wave of some hideous black substance that writhed under its own power.

"Let's see you ask some of your silly questions now!" the evil little girl cried gleefully. "Ask all you wish, my dear little friends. Ask away! We're quite fond of riddles. Just so you understand that, no matter what you ask, we will run you nasty egalitarians over, mash you flat!"

"Then we'll back over your bloody carcasses!" top hat jeered. "You'll be naught but lunch meat for our army of darkness!"

Arisha shrieked as the black bulldozer blade bore down upon them, and Zero rushed forward to catch the blade before any of his friends were hurt, to try to protect them…

…except it was too late. And he knew it.

"_Stop!_" Zero screamed, his muscles straining as he futilely tried to hold the machine back. "_Stop right now you bastard!_"

"You can't stop the wheels of progress, Hybrid Devil," the girl said, now sounding like a young woman. Zero looked up and saw that the girl was gone, replaced by a woman in a violet cloak, her eyes blazing with an unholy purple fire. "The world moves on. If you don't move on with it you get crushed under those wheels."

* * *

Zero sat up in his bed, sweat already chilling on his hot skin. His breaths were heavy and ragged. 

_A dark tower, an army of darkness, la Princesse de l'Obscurité. What does that mean? What was that dream about?_

Zero felt a hand brush against his arm. "So, you're awake," said a familiar voice. Zero's blood turned to ice water and his skin tried to crawl off his body. He slowly turned around and found himself facing a smug looking Devil girl with large violet eyes laying in bed with him.

Foncé Ying.

With a cry of surprise and disgust, Zero leapt from the bed, which he now saw wasn't his own but a fancy king-sized red one. The room itself was totally unfamiliar too, an upscale looking place that definitely wasn't a part of Rahkshi's home.

"_You!_ You were _sleeping_ with me!" the outraged Devil accused, his face turning red.

"I was lonely," Foncé replied coyly.

Zero looked around. "Where's my partner? If that pasty-faced partner of yours is sleeping with _him_ I'll kill—"

"Rest assured, Mr. Hundred slept in a different bed. My partner's not interested in him."

Zero scowled and looked away. _Stay calm,_ he thought. _This is only temporary. I've been forced to keep my word, but she's keeping her word too. My book and partner are okay. This is still early in the Battle. We're gonna get through this somehow._

Foncé smiled and scooted over to him. Much to his disgust, she placed a supposedly comforting hand on his shoulder. "Cheer up," she said, her voice positively dripping with feigned sweetness. "This is your chance to sample the high life. Only the best for my allies and me."

"I'm jumping for joy," Zero muttered joylessly.

* * *

"Are you still thinking of that guy and the runt?" 

Chérie Belmondo looked up from her food. "They just surprised me, that's all."

Brago grunted and fidgeted slightly in his chair. They had briefly stopped at a restaurant for a bite to eat, but Brago wasn't hungry. The pale-skinned Devil could sense many other Devils in the area and he was eager to train. He wondered if the kid with the red book was out there training. He hoped so. It would be interesting to see if they improved over time.

"Can you feel any close to us?" Chérie asked.

"Two near by," Brago responded. "They're unusually powerful. They might make for interesting opponents." He grinned wickedly at the prospect of having a challenging fight.

"We see," Chérie said with a sigh.

_Where are you?_ she mentally asked, her thoughts drifting to her dearest friend, Marie-France "Noix de Coco" Chanel. _Are you training somewhere out there, Coco? Are you enjoying yourself? Do you think of me at all?_

_Chérie, I feel pain too. _

_Chérie, let's study together! I want to become smart. _

_Chérie, what's wrong? Speak to me. _

_Chérie, the two of us happiness together, right? _

_Chérie…Chérie if you try to get in my way, I must crush you. _

_Coco… _

Chérie's hand tightened into a fist.

"We'll fight them Brago. You need to train."

Brago smiled. "Good. That's just what I like to hear."

**_To be continued..._**


	12. Level 12: Foncé’s Desire

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

_Author's note: If anyone is wondering about the name Marie-France "Noix de Coco" Chanel I just made it up. I always thought that Coco was a nickname rather than her personal name anyway._

* * *

**Level 12: フォンセの念**

**Level 12: Foncé's Desire**

By the time breakfast was delivered to their rooms, Foncé, Ken, Zero, and Rahkshi were all awake and wearily regarding one another. Ken didn't like the idea of keeping the other pair around, but Foncé told him that they were harmless at the moment.

The night before, after their battle, Foncé and Ken had Zero and Rahkshi brought to the hotel. Both were unconscious—Rahkshi from his injuries and Zero from exhaustion. They were cleaned up and put to bed as soon as they arrived at the hotel.

"Are you sure about this?" Ken had asked once they got back to their own room. He had gotten into a chair while Foncé plopped herself down upon a bed. "Just because you made him promise doesn't mean he's going to keep it."

"We just have to show them who's in charge here," Foncé had replied briskly. "Besides, after enough of the high life, they'll practically be thanking us later."

Ken had leaned back in his chair to look up at the ceiling. "It looks like I was right for suspecting Hundred of being a bookkeeper. I recognize his Devil as the kid he sometimes brought to school with him."

"An excellent observation, although this Mr. Hundred must have guessed the same for us too. Tell me, what do you know about this classmate for yours?"

"All I know is that he's foreign-born and that he has a sister in a different class. I don't know her name though."

"Did he ever bother you?"

Ken had seemed to think about it for a moment, and then said, "I can't think of a time, but he must have sometime. They all have. Probably whispered behind my back."

Foncé had managed to hide her smile. "I'm sure they did, Ken. I'm sure they did."

* * *

So everyone sat down for breakfast at a large table. For the most part a hostile silence weighed obsessively over the meal. Zero, Rahkshi, and Ken all glared evilly at one another from their sides of the table, with only Foncé at ease. She was greatly enjoying all of the negative emotion saturating the room. It gave her a warm fuzzy feeling deep in the pit of her stomach. 

Finally, Foncé daintily finished off a buttered biscuit. "So, Zero, Mr. Hundred," she said as she wiped her mouth with a silk napkin. "Let us discuss the condition of our partnership."

"Partnership!" Rahkshi stood up out of his chair. "We didn't agree to anything! You beat us up and dragged us back here as hostages! We're not—"

"_I_ agreed Rahk," Zero said quietly. He didn't look at his partner.

"Zero…" Rahkshi was about to say something, decided against it, and sat back down again.

Foncé smiled at them. "In exchange for not harming your partner or your book, you agreed to become out allies. You will remain our allies until either Ken Bak or I willingly attempt to harm or in any fashion. However, if either you or your partner willingly attempts to hurt either my partner or myself then we will place Mr. Hundred into a wood chipper, feet first so that we all may take pleasure in his prolonged suffering. We'll leave your book intact however, so that you'll be utterly helpless for the rest of the Devil Battle."

Zero scowled but said nothing.

Rahkshi turned pale. He felt cold, dizzy, and queasy all at the same time. What he heard was simply unbelievable. Zero had told him that some Devils would be willing to kill the human partner to destroy the book, but this Devil just outlined killing him, Rahkshi Five Hundred, in one of the most gruesome and agonizing ways possible _while leaving the book intact!_ Even more chilling to Rahkshi was that this girl wasn't a giggling, drooling psycho slasher like in the movies; she was perfectly calm about the whole matter. It didn't bother her in the least.

Rahkshi's eyes darted to Bak, hoping that his classmate would show some kind of shock or at least disgust. But no, he didn't seem bothered either. Not even in the very least.

_What kind of person was I going to school with?_ thought Rahkshi, horrified. He had never suspected that quiet bookish Ken Bak could hide such an inner darkness.

Well whatever he was hiding we have to get out of here. These guys are completely bat-shit insane and their book needs to be burned as soon as possible. I can't just let someone this evil going around doing what they want no matter how powerful they are! As soon as I find my book I'm gonna—

Zero gave Rahkshi a quick glace. It was only for a few seconds, but Rahkshi realized that his hands had been clenched into tight painful balls, his fingernails digging into his palms. His teeth were also clenched. His rage couldn't be more obvious to the world.

_Don't do anything crazy,_ Zero's glace seemed to say.

"So, do we understand one another?" asked Foncé.

"Yeah," grumbled Zero.

"Yes," Rahkshi said dully after a few seconds.

* * *

In his entire fifteen-year career as a taxi driver, Koushun Oniki had never been as unnerved by a fare as much as the two he just picked up from the local airport. He had seen a lot of strange people in his time, but this two definitely got under his skin. 

Sitting in the back of his taxi was a tall Caucasian man, perhaps in his early forties, wearing faded blue jeans, a black hooded jacket covered with strange buttons, and cowboy boots with worn-down heels. He had an M.P.3 player, playing a classic rock song of some kind. The man was grinning and bobbing his head to the tune. Oniki didn't like his grin; he thought it was phony and distrustful, the smile of a particularly malicious con artist.

The guy's lady friend was the one that really disturbed him. She was a tall girl, about seventeen-years-old, and wore a snazzy dark crimson business suit that clung tightly to her curvy form. She also wore a pair of tight white gloves. Oniki had to admit that this lady had one fine figure, but her face—or at least what he could see of it—scared him. Her skin was an unhealthy sallow yellow color, and her lips were swamp-green. Some of her thick black hair had fallen over most of her face, so Oniki couldn't get too good of a look at her. He could see a single violet eye peering hatefully through a break in her fringes, like that ghost girl from that movie with the cursed videocassette. Worse of all was her mouth, which was pulled back in a psychotic grin, and he wasn't sure if his eyes were playing tricks on him or something, but it looked like her teeth had been filed into savage points.

Oniki's eyes kept going from the road ahead of him to the rearview mirror. He kept expecting one of them to pull a knife out on him or something else equally terrible. He wouldn't put it past the lady if she tried to take a bite out of his arm.

_Almost there,_ he thought. _Just a little bit further and we'll be at Mochinoki, and these two will leave me alone._

"I feel her," the lady said in a low voice. Her head rocked back and forth eerily, like it wasn't completely attached to her neck. "Somewhere out here. Never seen her, but I heard her. I know her."

"You can just let us out here, partner," the man said, still grinning.

The taxi screeched to a halt.

"Have a nice day," Oniki said as casually as he could.

"What do I owe you?"

Oniki looked at the two through his mirror and saw them grinning back at him. He had the sudden impression that if he reached out for the money they would tear his arm off. It was ridiculous, but…

"No charge," said Oniki. "Really, it's on me."

The man tittered as he and his companion got out of the cab. "They all say that," he giggled. "They all do."

As they walked away, Oniki sighed with relief. He watch the pair leave, and noticed the man was carrying a large hardbound book. Somehow he missed that detail earlier.

* * *

Zero and Rahkshi were allowed their own room since Foncé and Ken had enough money to pay for another one. Foncé wouldn't hand their book over yet though. They both felt unbearably vulnerable without it. 

"Mom, dad, and Marcy must be worried sick about us," Rahkshi said miserably. "What are we going to do now?"

"As long as the book remains we have options," said Zero. "You can't lose hope now."

"What happened back there? Are they really that powerful?"

"They're strong," Zero said, "but I think we lost due more to bad luck than their skill. They happened to get a more powerful spell at an early level. If I had gotten the spell I _really_ wanted instead of Rioru Rakeru, that bitch would be in the World of Devils right now, crying all the way back to her mansion. It was also night time, and since she's a Dark Devil, her power doubles at night."

"It also helps when your partner's a total psycho," said Rahkshi. "Did you see how mad he got when you suggested that he hand his book over? That was enough to trigger another spell for them." He remembered how Bak's book flared up with his rage, enveloping him and his Devil in a ghastly purple aura.

"It sounds weird," he continued, "but I think that we pushed too hard there. Maybe if we took our time then he wouldn't have gotten so mad."

"Not likely," said Zero. "Guys like that are totally unpredictable and whack. He would've gone over the edge like that anyway. He's a threat because with outbursts like that he could get new spells very quickly. He can also power her spells for a long time. It's a real worst-case scenario."

"So what do we do?"

"I made a promise, and until we get the right opportunity I'm going to keep it."

Rahkshi grumbled. He hated the whole situation, but there wasn't much else they could do. If they ran away now then their captors might just burn Zero's book as punishment.

* * *

Foncé examined Zero's multi-colored book as she lay on her bed. She lightly traced her fingers over the cover. The fierce scratch gouged into the front of the book especially fascinated her. She carefully probed the area with her fingernail, wondering what happened to it. 

"How interesting…" she whispered.

"So," said Ken as he thumbed through a magazine, "what now?"

"We have enough funds and practice, so I say it's time we head to Europe."

"Why Europe?"

"In the last Battle, my father conducted some research on my family at a place he called Auseuil. With some research of my own, I discovered that Auseuil still exists as a remote area of France. I wish to go there to see if any of my father's research still remains. He duplicated some of it back in the World of Devils, and I'm hoping to find a complete version in Auseuil."

"What do you hope to find in this research?"

Foncé put Zero's book to the side. "Lost information on my family. My family has a long history, but much of it was forgotten. Whatever my father was on to, he seemed unsettled by it. I have to know what it was he found."

"Foncé," said Ken, "that was a thousand years ago. I don't think there's going to be much left there if we go check. Frankly, the fact that the village still has the same name after all this time is a lucky miracle. I don't think we're going to get any luckier."

"I just need to see this!" Foncé snapped with sudden irritation. "I _must_ see this! If I'm wrong then I'll do whatever you wish for the rest of the Battle! Please, this is very important to me!"

Ken was surprised by this outburst. Foncé must have been truly desperate to make a promise like that. He himself had never really cared much for his family, so Foncé's desire to learn more about her own family was a little puzzling to him. However, he did like the idea of her doing whatever he said, and the chances of her being right were so slim…

"Fine fine," Ken replied. "We're taking those two losers with us?"

"Yes, they can do any hard labor we need."

"Let's get ourselves a guardian first. I say it's my teacher, Miss Hachiya."

"Interesting choice," said Foncé, wondering why he would pick his own teacher.

**_To be continued..._**


	13. Level 13: Temptation

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero and Arisha are property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 13: 誘惑**

**Level 13: Temptation**

_Haze._

_Hazy, everything is hazy here. Everything is indistinct and blurry, covered in a dark fog. The sounds are muted too. I feel like I am underwater. I move slowly here, as if I were immersed in treacle. There seem to be explosions in the distance, but they sound so far away that it does not matter._

_The fog clears a little. I am in what appears to be a throne room. The room looks to be made from alabaster. Everything is grand in scale, fitting for a throne room. I am standing in a far corner. Nothing is hidden from my gaze here. I can see everything. It is beautiful here. No one is sitting on the elegant throne. I wish to, but I cannot move from my place. A pity._

_Now I see a figure—no, two figures. They stand by the throne. I cannot make out their details as they are hazy and indistinct as well. They are speaking to each other but I cannot hear their words._

_There is a loud explosion. Now two more figures appear. I cannot make them out either. A pair of pairs stand opposite each other, waiting for something. One of the figures by the throne now holds a shining object, one that I now recognize as a Devil's book. _

"_Angunobion!" the figure reads in a male voice. Somehow I can now understand him._

_The figure besides him whips its arms around. They lash forward, stretching out grotesquely. I now see that they have transformed into hissing black serpents, fangs exposed and ready for the kill. They rush forward at the opposite pair, but the snakes never reach them for the opposite pair is gone._

_Everything freezes. The haze begins to dissipate. I can now see that the one with the snake arms is female, a young lady. She is definitely not human but a Devil._

_But the shock is when the haze peels away from the partner. I was not surprised by anything else here until this moment._

_The partner was not human either._

* * *

Foncé's eyes opened, blinked once, twice, and stayed open. She was on her bed, curled into a fetal position, Zero's book clutched to her chest. Her palm pressed against the scratch mark. 

"I must have dozed off," she said to herself. She set Zero's book aside and stretched like a cat that just woke up. Rubbing her eyes, she realized that she was very hungry. Foncé hopped off the bed and left the bedroom she shared with Ken. In the main room she found Zero brooding in a cushy pink chair, swinging his feet. He turned to glare at her for a moment, then went back to looking at his swinging feet.

Foncé looked hard at Zero. _Not only does he already have a lover whom he's very loyal to,_ she thought, _he clearly hates me. Do I love him? No—he's handsome and powerful, but he's just a useful tool and a tasty piece of meat to me._

"Hello Zero," she said.

Zero grunted.

Foncé stepped closer to him and smiled sweetly. "How are you doing today?"

"Rotten, thanks to you," he grumbled.

"Well I'm doing fine, thank you very much," she huffed, suddenly indignant. "You aren't making this situation any easier for yourself by being angry, you know. Why can't you accept that things would be much easier if we work together?"

"It might be because you're crazy, dangerous, and you want more than just a team up with me," Zero responded bitterly.

She got close to him, and he turned his head away from her. Foncé was going to chuckle when she noticed some strange scars on his neck. They were faint and well healed, but there nonetheless.

_How curious,_ she thought. _Those marks look almost like…vampire fang marks…_

"Say Zero," she asked slowly, "your lover isn't a vampire is she?"

Zero stiffened. It was no use lying if Foncé could recognize the marks on his neck.

"Yeah," he said quietly.

Foncé smirked, enjoying his discomfort. She knew a few vampire Devils back in Spirit's Sanctuary. One of them was a wretched little girl named Arisha Antonidas. Arisha was one of those people Foncé felt existed solely to be exploited for entertainment purposes. Naturally, Arisha absolutely hated her for this treatment.

_I do wonder…_she thought.

"Her name wouldn't happen to be…Arisha, would it?"

Zero's blood froze in his veins and his muscles locked tight. He couldn't show a single sign of recognition or Foncé would realize that she guessed correctly.

"Never heard of her," he said as casually as he could and hoped that she would swallow it.

"Oh, I see," said Foncé plainly.

"So stop guessing already."

Foncé gave a sickly smile in his direction. While it certainly was fun to flirt with him, it was quite ineffective. Seduction was just another tactic in her arsenal. Just because she acted like she loved him didn't mean she really did.

However, perhaps the team-up-with-your-worst-enemy tactic would work instead. Normally it was quite effective in desperate times and often lead to long-lasting friendships. The tactic worked like this: you offer a partnership with someone capable that you hate. Both parties would be on their toes the entire time, working overtime to prove themselves to each other. A person with something to prove will move entire mountains to do so. These relationships were motivated by self-interest rather than personal feelings, making enemies a better choice to work with than friends. If all went to plan, the two enemies might become friends over time. Perhaps that would work with Zero.

Still, it was just _so_ much fun to mess with his head.

Foncé lay down on her side seductively, her arm supporting her chin, and smiled at Zero. "You're right about that last one," she purred. She began to sensually and slowly stroke her silky black hair. "I'll take you places you've never been before. I'll be the best you've ever had, sweetie. Why don't you find your true lover and ask her to join in too?"

Zero's jaw dropped in disbelief. Was there no end to this disgusting succubus' depravity?

"What the _fuck_ is wrong with you?" he demanded.

That was just the question Foncé was waiting for.

"I-I'm sorry," she sighed sadly. She now looked embarrassed and a little regretful. "I'm just…well, I'm just a little lonely, so I act strangely for attention. I don't know, sometimes I scare myself."

She glanced around the room and whispered conspiratorially to Zero, "Can I share a secret with you?"

"You like to kill donkeys? Because if that's the secret I already guessed so."

"No." She sighed slightly before continuing. "To be honest, I want friends and companions. I want power too, of course, but I feel isolated and small."

"Woopdy doo," Zero muttered.

"Look, we can really help each other," she said.

"I'm here because you forced me too," he replied coldly, "not because I want to. My goal is to defeat the Devils I was created from and become King."

"And you think you can defeat them if you can't defeat me?"

Zero growled angrily, but he saw her point.

"You were created from three very powerful Devils," Foncé said. "You have incredible strength, but you need to know how to use it most effectively. I've studied strategy extensively. I can guide to innumerable victories. That is why I think we would make such a powerful team. If you just saw that then there would not be any need for me to threaten you or Mr. Hundred."

Zero looked away. What she said did make sense, but would he be able to work well with such a creepy monster? What would Arisha say? What would he do if Arisha saw him and Foncé together? What would _Arisha_ do?

"I'll talk about it with my partner," he said at last. His voice was heavy and half-hearted.

* * *

Brago and Chérie were following the powerful Devils Brago has senses earlier. People passed them by on the sidewalk, wondering what kind of person would go out dressed as a brooding gray boy at this time. 

"They're close by, I can feel them!" Brago said.

"Good," said Chérie. "We'll be able to kill two birds with one—"

"_Rin Anheiru!_"

Brago roughly shoved Chérie to the ground just as a large ring composed of black energy narrowly missed taking the beautiful teenager's head off. It collided with the wall behind them, exploding in a shower of pulverized brick. Brago moved behind Chérie, shielding his partner from harm.

"What idiot starts a battle right in front of regular humans?" he seethed.

As people panicked all around them, Chérie pulled the black book out and scanned the sidewalks for the attackers. Her eyes darted from pedestrian to running pedestrian. Where could—there! On the other sidewalk was a pair standing calmly to the side. There was a man in a black hooded jacket and a teenaged girl in a crimson business suit. The man was grinning wolfishly and holding a large book.

"Howdy partners!" he called cheerfully over the din to Chérie and Brago. "What do you say we do a little dance?"

Brago winced; the falling bricks weren't dangerous to him but they weren't painless either. "Ready Chérie?"

The black book glowed brightly.

"Ready," she replied though gritted teeth.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Foncé's "I'll take you places you've never been before" line really cracked me up. It's just so sick and wrong to have an eight-year old say something that suggestive. _

_Anyway, see you next chapter, "The Dancing Terror, Désaxé"._


	14. Level 14: The Dancing Terror, Désaxé

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 14: ダンシング・テラー, デサクセ**

**Level 14: The Dancing Terror, Désaxé**

Chérie and Brago glared at the pair across the street. The bookkeeper was a Caucasian man in a hooded jacket, blue jeans, and cowboy boots. The Devil was a full-figured girl in a fine crimson business suit. Their book was amber in color.

"Nothing personal," said the man with barely contained glee. "We were coming by for someone else, but then you two beautiful people walked by and, well shucks, we couldn't pass up an opportunity for some good old-fashioned murder and mayhem!"

"Death, death, death," the Devil girl chanted. "Kill, kill, kill."

Chérie grimaced. She had thought at first that this Devil girl was one of the targets Brago had sensed, but it seemed that they were merely following the same trail they themselves were.

"Did I introduce myself?" the man asked, pleased. "The name is Flagg, with the double 'G', and this here pretty lady is Désaxé. Pleased to meet you."

The Devil girl, Désaxé, grinned malevolently at them. Chérie noted with disgust that saliva was escaping Désaxé's clenched shark like teeth and running down to her chin. _What an appropriate name,_ she thought, repulsed by this new Devil.

"Enough talk!" Brago barked harshly. He flexed his black-clawed hands. "I was in the mood to fight! Let's get to it!"

"Good! _Good!_ Yes!" Désaxé screeched. "A spell, Flagg! _Now!_"

"Get ready," Brago whispered to Chérie. Chérie nodded silently in return.

"_Anheiru!_" Flagg cried. Désaxé thrust her white-gloved hands forward gleefully. A black beam of energy extended from her right hand and rushed toward Brago. Brago and Chérie nimbly skipped aside, allowing the Anheiru to crash harmlessly against the wall behind them.

"Take this seriously!" Brago snarled. He bounded from the wall and charged toward Désaxé, his right arm struck out. _Strange,_ he thought. _The aura of this Devil is similar to one of the ones I felt earlier. She definitely isn't the same one though; I can still feel the other two up ahead._

Chérie deftly flipped the black book open. "_Reisu!_" she intoned. Purple-black energy gathered in Brago's right hand and was released in the form of a swirling sphere. He slammed his hand into Désaxé's stomach, allowing the ball of condensed gravity to explode point-blank. The mad Devil grunted as the incredible pressure drove her back into a store window behind her, and Brago quickly jumped back to Chérie's side to survey the damage.

"Not bad," Flagg laughed. "Not bad at all. But you're going to have to do better than that to take down my girl."

Even as he said so, Désaxé was back on her feet. She was grinning madly at them from inside the store. Ghoulishly, some jagged pieces of glass stuck from her skin and she was lacerated in some areas. She then plucked a shard of glass wedged in the side of her neck, inspected it for a second, and licked the blood off.

"Delicious," she slurred. Désaxé stepped out of the shattered window and began to do a strange, jerking, drunken looking dance, looking like a marionette at the command of a madman.

"Kill you, eat you," she giggled in a singsong tone. "I'll dance on your graves, beloveds!"

Chérie's lips curled back in sheer disgust. "I'm ending this sideshow Brago," she said. "_Gravirei!_"

Brago pointed his hand at Désaxé and Flagg, and created a powerful field of gravity. Flagg stepped aside to the very edge of the field, leaving Désaxé to get flattened by the crushing force.

"A little pressure isn't going to hurt my girl," Flagg said, "Chérie Belmondo."

Chérie's eyes widened. "How do you know my name?" she demanded.

"We know many things," Désaxé wheezed. She painfully brought her head up to grin at Brago and Chérie. Her long hair had parted, and a large violet eye stared balefully out at them. "So many things indeed!" She seemed unbothered by the gravity crushing down upon her.

"Like how we saw Coco in South America," said Flagg, grinning.

The words struck deep into Chérie's heart. Her hands trembled, and if she hadn't been holding on to the book so tightly she would have dropped it. Gravirei suddenly weakened, much to Brago's dismay. Désaxé slowly got to her knees and grinned horridly at him. "Chérie!" he yelled. "What are you—"

"What do you know about Coco?" Chérie cried. "Tell me!"

"I know that she and Zoffis are up to some damned important business," Flagg said sagely. "It'll take awhile, but they're getting there."

Chérie's arm fell limply to her side, none of her heart energy being directed into Gravirei any more. Désaxé jumped to her feet, free of the gravity field, and began to dance again. Brago stepped back. This had to be the strangest opponent he had fought yet.

"Dance on your grave!" the crazed Devil sang.

If Chérie's not going to be any help, Brago thought, then I'll just have to fight this one on my own. 

With a fierce yell he charged toward his enemy, his fist ready to pound Désaxé into the street.

* * *

"Did you hear something?" asked Rahkshi. He was sitting on the bed Foncé and Ken had provided for him at the hotel. 

Zero could feel some Devil auras some distance away. One aura he was very familiar with, someone he wanted to fight very badly. The other was different and rather unpleasant to his senses. It was like catching a faint whiff of spoiled meat. It was a little similar to Foncé. Zero didn't really care to guess what this unseen Devil was like.

"Maybe," he replied.

* * *

"Is Coco alright?" Chérie asked quietly. It was crazy to believe this man, but if he had known about Coco and Zoffis in the first place…well, it couldn't have hurt to ask him, right? 

Still grinning that ugly grin, Flagg replied, "She's alright, I suppose. I know she seems to like it when Zoffis takes her from behind."

Chérie froze, her eyes as wide as saucers. "What did you say?" she asked in a furious whisper.

"I said your little girlfriend now likes to take it from a clown in a dress," Flagg said cheerily. It looked like he was trying his best to stifle an outpouring of raucous laughter. "I guess you weren't good enough for her, eh? Oh well; there's plenty of fish in the sea, that's for sure!"

"_Bastard!_" Chérie charged forward with murderous intent. Forget Brago—she would wipe the smile off this disgusting man's face herself by smearing it across the wall. He was going to die and die very painfully for his words.

She came at Flagg swinging wildly. Her blows were fast and wide, but none seemed to touch the man. He bobbed and weaved between her punches, that infuriating not leaving his face for even a second. "Does that make you jealous?" he jeered. "Would you rather be the one sleeping with Coco? Why would a refined upstanding member of society such as yourself want to consort with a two-bit thief and whore like her anyway?"

"_Shut up! **Shut up!**_" Chérie cried. Hot tears of rage and frustration poured down her cheeks at hearing Flagg say such horrible things about her friend.

* * *

Brago was having problems of his own. Désaxé was proving to be a very slippery opponent to fight. Her dancing, stumbling way of moving made her movement highly unpredictable and erratic. He had at first thought she was just a maniacal idiot, but he was discovering that there was a very real method to her madness. 

Even the few blows he landed didn't seem to affect her in the least. Her body was so fluid and relaxed that hitting it did no damage at all, like punching a huge mound of jelly. It didn't help that Désaxé didn't seem to feel pain.

_This is hopeless,_ Brago thought. _I need spells for this. You'd better pull through with this, Chérie!_

With a hideous shriek, Désaxé suddenly did a roundhouse kick to Brago's chest. Her red shoe crashed into him with for more force than he expected from her, sending him flying back toward where Chérie and Flagg were fighting.

_Damn it,_ thought Brago as he collapsed close to his partner. As he started to get up, Flagg suddenly went on the offensive and shoved Chérie into Brago, knocking them both over.

"Face it guys," Flagg chuckled.

"You're completely outclassed!" Désaxé slobbered. She ran her long tongue over shark-like teeth. "Now be still, little beloveds. I'm going to burn the book and eat you _all_ up!"

"It would be for the best," Flagg said with a look of mock sadness. "You're never going to see your little friend again anyway. Might as well let Désaxé eat you with a side of fries and some chocolate milk. That's her favorite, you see."

Chérie lay sitting on the pavement, her head lowered.

"Chérie!" growled Brago. "We have to fight!"

Silence.

Flagg raised an eyebrow. "Hey little lady, you gonna say anything?"

Chérie gave a strange shuddering half laugh, half sob. "A long time ago," she said, her head still lowered, "my friend told me that we would find happiness together."

"I know the whole sob story already," Flagg interrupted. "You almost died, Coco saved you, Zoffis changed her heart, yadda yadda yadda."

"Our troubles were like a dark tunnel," Chérie continued. "Long and frightening, but with a light at the end of it." She looked up, her face tear streaked but hard and determined. "I'm not ever going to lose sight of that light, no matter what happens! No matter how many people try to keep us from finding our happiness!"

The black book suddenly flared with dark energy, the sound of it powering up music to Brago's ears. But it wasn't just powering up.

"A new spell," Brago whispered.

Chérie slowly stood up, her steely glare focused intently on the hateful Flagg. She no longer saw a human being; all she could see was the hated white-robed monster that took her friend away from her. "_Do you hear me Zoffis!_" Chérie cried out, opening the black book. "_I won't let you or anyone else take our rightful happiness away!_"

"Maybe we should make like bananas and split!" Flagg suggested to Désaxé, as if he knew what the new spell would do. Désaxé nodded slowly in response.

"_Iron Gravirei!_"

Brago gripped the wrist of his right hand with his left as he unleashed a new version of Gravirei. The difference was that Iron Gravirei was vastly wider and vastly more destructive. The deadly crushing force poured over Désaxé and Flagg, and Brago lost sight of them. The buildings behind them were pulverized into dust. Brago was absolutely relishing the feeling of sheer power this new spell gave. It crushed everything in its path, just as he imagined he would do to all who stood in his way, and he couldn't wait to try it on another Devil.

By the time Chérie was done, a sizable chunk of the stores had been obliterated. She felt tired, but satisfied. She had channeled all of her anger and rage into Iron Gravirei, and was quite exhausted now.

"Come on," said Brago. He picked her up and set her on his back. "We have to get out before anyone comes to investigate."

"What happened to them?" Chérie asked weakly.

"There wasn't a trace of those two left," Brago replied. "Either they escaped somehow or they were completely destroyed. I like to think it was the latter."

"I see." Chérie now felt bad for destroying so much property in her rage, but it couldn't be helped.

_South America. Maybe that's where we should look next. Coco_,_ I know those awful things that man said about you aren't true_, _but maybe I will find a clue in South America._ _I'm coming to help you Coco._

* * *

"I have the feeling," said Zero, "that something very big happened just now." 

Rahkshi nodded in agreement.

There was a loud knock at the door.

"What?" Zero replied grumpily.

"Put on your finest evening wear Zé-Zé!" came Foncé's sickeningly cheerful voice. "Ken and I are going to treat you and Mr. Hundred to a nice dinner tonight. Come get a taste of the high life with us!"

Zero shuddered. "Now she's calling me 'Zay-Zay' or something. Rahk, if I were a weaker Devil I'd ask you to just whip out your matches and burn my book yourself right here. Seriously, I can't take this much longer!"

By the time everyone was ready to step out for dinner though the streets were clogged with police vehicles and rubble.

"Are you telling me someone demolished this entire area?" Foncé asked a police officer. "We need to go to dinner!"

* * *

Unbeknownst to Foncé, Zero, Ken, or Rahkshi, they were being watched from afar. Flagg, dirty, bruised, battered, bloodied, but still very much alive, sat on the edge of a building that was still intact, the amber book held under his arm. 

"I see them," he said to the figure next to him, a shape that might be mistaken for a gargoyle from a distance. "Well I got Belmondo and Brago to leave them alone for you. You want to talk to them now?" He took a small flat object out of his pocket. "Aw man, my M.P.3 player's busted," he complained. "It makes a pretty sweet souvenir of the battle though."

"No," Désaxé hissed. "Now that I've found them I'd like to just observe how well the runt of the litter goes for a few days."

In spite of her numerous painful injuries she grinned widely.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: This sure was an interesting chapter to write. When I wrote the moment where Chérie gets worked up and casts Iron Gravirei I was listening to "Destiny: Ano Hi ni Kaerou", a haunting, hypnotic song that is sometimes played in _Konjiki no Gash Bell!_ when Chérie has an especially poignant moment, to get myself in the right mood._

_As first I wasn't sure what the evil Flagg's purpose in the story (outside of being another villain) would be, but after writing this chapter I know exactly what purpose he and Désaxé will play in future chapters._

_So read and review! Tell me what you think of these latest events! And I'll see you in the next chapter, "Training With Zero". Don't worry constant readers! Zero and Rahkshi will be free soon!_


	15. Level 15: Training With Zero

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero and Arisha are property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 15: ゼロとの訓練 **

**Level 15: Training With Zero**

The following morning, Foncé said, "It's about time we take some action. Today we exercise our powers."

Zero glared at his captor. "Training? I was beginning to think that you were going to spend the entire Battle grooming yourself and bragging about how elite you are."

"Did you forget who defeated you?" asked Ken smugly as he placed Foncé's book into a black tote bag. "Maybe we should beat you again to teach you your place."

"Now Ken," Foncé scolded, "that's no way to treat our friends."

Zero wanted to throw up hearing that.

"So where are we going?" Rahkshi asked, wanting to change the subject.

"We rented some space at a local park," Ken replied. "I don't care what anyone says, money _can_ buy anything, even happiness!"

_I'm sure that's true for a shallow bastard like you,_ Rahkshi thought bitterly as he got Zero's multi-colored book and stuffed it into a backpack Ken bought them last night when they went out on the town after dinner.

"If we're going to work together we need to train together," Foncé said. "Together we'd be invincible! There won't be any obstacle that can stand in our way!"

"Yeah yeah," Zero grumbled. "Let's just get going, okay?"

* * *

It was a bright sunny day that morning. The grass was healthy and wet with morning dew. It made Rahkshi feel a little happier, but undoubtedly his parents and Marcy were worried sick about them. He wondered when they would be able to escape from Ken and Foncé. 

Foncé and Ken didn't like the sunny atmosphere though. Foncé even brought her umbrella to shield herself from the sun's rays.

"What a crappy day for a picnic," Ken muttered.

"No pain, no gain," Foncé sighed. Ken was merely discomforted by sunny days, but Foncé actually felt weaker and more vulnerable in the light. It was true that she was stronger at night, but daylight didn't necessarily weaken her. She was just twice as powerful at night. In the day she felt like any common Devil.

Foncé carefully placed her umbrella on the ground. "We might as well get started now," she said.

"Yeah, about that," Zero said.

"We're going to train over there," Rahkshi said, and pointed to a hill several yards away.

"In others words, away from you," Zero finished. They turned and walked toward the hill.

"This isn't exactly helping our relationship," Foncé remarked.

The dark purple book began to glow in Ken's hands. "I say we just kill them both right now," he whispered to Foncé as he watched Zero and Rahkshi leave. "They're clearly not working out as partners. We can do better."

"That's true," Foncé replied, "but it sure is a waste to get rid of the one and only Hybrid Devil."

"We can't control them! They're going to turn on us!"

Foncé watched Rahkshi and Zero in the distance and smiled slightly as Zero's Rakeru set off explosions of light and darkness. She knew that they hated her guts with a passion, but she couldn't help but be fond of them. In a strange sort of way, she saw them as the first members of her own little family out here in the strange World of Humans. She looked forward to expanding her new family—by force if necessary.

Of course, she still needed to find Imité and investigate the castle her father did his research in. Zero and Rahkshi would make that mission problematic though. She thought about that all night the night before. Zero and his partner had actively resisted everything Foncé wanted to do that night, even when she talked Ken into buying presents for them as a gesture of peace and goodwill. They just didn't know that you were supposed to at least pretend to show deference to superiority. She finally decided that this disobedience couldn't be tolerated any longer.

"I know," she said wistfully, almost sadly. "That's why I chose this place. It's so large and empty. No one will hear Mr. Hundred die."

She sighed and looked at Ken. "It's sad, but some people just don't know a good thing when they see it."

"Which spell would you like to use?" he asked, visibly pleased with Foncé's decision.

"Anheiruga," she said without hesitation. "One shot should take Hundred out and leave his book unprotected."

They walked up the gently sloping hill and stopped at the top. Below them Rahkshi read from the spell book and Zero released two pulsing orbs of light and darkness, his Iron Rakeruga attack. Foncé remembered how he tried that attack on her Huang'ou Anheiruga.

_Ah, the memories,_ she thought. Thoughts of her total victory over Zero's strongest spell made her lick her lips slowly and almost sensually. She thought of the scars at his throat and felt very jealous toward his lucky lover. She often wondered what it was like to sink sharp white perfect fangs into a warm throbbing throat. That brought her back to a time she had accidentally caught her mother biting her father's neck while locked in a loving embrace. It gave her a strange hot, thirsty sensation to watch. Whether it was an instinct she inherited from her vampire Devil mother or just another of her sick fascinations was a mystery to her, but she suspected that it was the former as she was able to eat garlic without any ill affect.

She slowly raised her left hand and pointed it at Rahkshi. His back was turned as he said something to Zero. A perfect shot.

_It's like Hundred wants to leave himself open,_ she thought.

"Ken."

The dark purple book flipped open and glowed brightly. "_Anhei—_"

Foncé's eyes widened.

A Devil's aura! 

"Wait!"

"Wait?" Ken looked her as if she were crazy. "What for?"

"What the hell are you staring at?"

Ken and Foncé looked down. Zero and Rahkshi were peering back at them. Foncé stared back, slightly dazed.

"Well?" Zero demanded.

"Nothing. I'm sorry," Foncé said quickly. She turned and started back down the other side of the hill. Ken followed.

"What's with you?" he asked, the irritation in his voice plain. "I thought you were a cold-blooded killer, but you can't even ice a kid!"

"That's not it!" Foncé snapped, suddenly angry. She then turned away to hide that she was blushing from her loss of face. "There's another Devil nearby and it seems that Zero hasn't sensed the aura yet. I want to take care of this one first, perhaps see if it wants to join us."

Ken sighed. "Right, whatever you say."

They walked down to the other side of the park in silence. Foncé could feel that Ken was upset with her. He clearly wanted to be rid of Zero and Rahkshi as quickly as possible, and was annoyed that she seemed to be putting it off.

_Am I just looking for excuses?_ she thought. _This sentimentality is not just anti-elitist; it's dangerous. Ken's absolutely right. But surely it won't hurt to see who it is over here, right?_

Foncé and Ken soon found just who it was Foncé was feeling. Leaning against a large tree, reading a book in the cool shade, was a young girl. She wore a fetching midriff-baring dark purple long-sleeved shirt with a purple long skirt. Adding to the picture was a black cloak and a blood-red jewel she wore as a necklace. The girl herself was pale and had very long black hair with purple streaks in it. Oddly, she had facial markings that usually only male Devils had.

"Hey, she's pretty cute," Ken said as he looked the Devil girl over with a smile. "I actually hope you do convince her to join us. I hope her partner's pretty too."

_How convenient of you to come here,_ Foncé thought wickedly, not hearing Ken. They approached the girl and stood next to her tree.

"Hello there little girl," Ken said cheerfully.

"Hello to you too," the girl replied in a slightly shy sounding voice. She looked up from her book. "My name's—"

Her words died in her throat when she laid eyes on Foncé. A look of shock and terror clouded her pretty face.

"_You!_" she gasped.

"Foncé grinned widely and grotesquely. "It's been a long time," she said quietly, "Arisha."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Uh oh! This is about to get _really_ ugly folks! Keep watching for the next exciting chapter, "Catfight"._


	16. Level 16: Arisha

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero, Arisha, and Mikoro Tosowachi are property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 16: アリーシャ**

**Level 16: Arisha**

"Well, well, well," Foncé chuckled, "I didn't expect to meet you here, Arisha."

"You two know each other?" Ken asked. He sounded amused. "Do tell!"

Arisha's face hardened and she set the book she was previously reading aside. "Well _I_ expected to see _you _here, Ying!"

Now it was Foncé's turn to be surprised. "Excuse me?" she asked. "How would you know where to find me? And even if you did know to look for me here, why would you sit out here without your partner for protection?"

"That's a very good question," Arisha replied. She turned to look at Ken. "And I have a very good answer."

"And what's that?" Ken asked.

"It's a trap!" Arisha declared triumphantly.

"_Bekusen!_"

Arisha's cloak fluttered open and a swarm of bats surged out. Ken gave a surprised shriek before being engulfed in the dark swarm. He fell to the ground hollering as the bats set upon him, squeaking and biting. He rolled and writhed about, trying to get the bats off of him.

"_Get them off me!_" he cried. "_Oh god, get them off me!_"

"Ken!" Foncé was about to help her partner when Arisha tackled her to the ground.

"You're not going anywhere!" Arisha hissed as they wrestled around in the grass. "We're gonna send you right back to the World of Devils where you belong!"

"We'll…see…about…that!" Foncé growled back. She managed to grab the underside of Arisha's chin and tried to push her off.

"Mikoro!" Arisha called.

"_Vareido!_"

Arisha opened her mouth and her sharp fangs suddenly fired out. One of the sharp little projectiles struck Foncé in the shoulder while the other narrowly missed her throat. Foncé gave a strangled cry of pain and anger.

"I'd bite you," said Arisha, "but I think I'd puke on your disgusting blood!"

"Foncé! Put your hand on her!"

Foncé grinned, knowing that this could only mean that Ken escaped from Arisha's bats. She slammed her left hand into Arisha's midsection while holding her at bay with her right.

"_Anheiru!_" Ken called. Arisha cried out as the black energy exploded point-black, flinging her off of Foncé forcefully.

Foncé got to her feet and painfully clutched her bloodied shoulder. She saw a large grove of trees nearby. She didn't know where Arisha's partner was, so their best bet was to run to the grove. "Ken!" she ordered. "Run to the grove!" She grabbed Ken's hand and helped him run away as Arisha recovered. Foncé took a quick look at her partner and saw his face was covered in small bite marks.

_Bite marks…You lied to me, didn't you Zero?_

* * *

Mikoro Tosowachi jumped from her hiding place in the tree Arisha had been sitting by, her indigo coat fluttering in the wind. She carefully helped Arisha to her feet. "Are you alright Arisha?" she asked. 

"That hurt," Arisha replied, holding a hand to her stomach, "but I'll be fine." She smiled at reassuringly at her partner. Her smile faded when she spied her hated enemy and her partner escaping into a large near-by cluster of trees. "There they go. Come on Mikoro! Let's finish this!" Arisha then charged off after Foncé and Ken.

"Wait Arisha!" Mikoro called, running after her. "That may not be a good idea."

Arisha rushed into the entrance to the grove, Mikoro close behind. "Where are you?" Arisha demanded fiercely. "Answer me, Ying!"

She was answered by the younger Devil's mocking laughter. "Come a little closer, _friend!_"

With a growl Arisha entered the grove, Mikoro behind her. "Arisha," Mikoro said softly. "Don't be rash."

"I have to take her down!" Arisha replied angrily. "Foncé's hurt me before, and now she's hurting someone very close to me!"

"I know she's hurt you," Mikoro said, "but we need to think this through."

"I can't let them escape!" Arisha drove further on into the grove. "Ying! _Foncé of Clan Ying!_"

"_Anheiruga!_"

A thin corkscrew-shaped beam of darkness narrowly missed the right side of Arisha's head. The beam struck a tree instead and drilled a hole through it.

"Did I get you, you filthy little tart?" came Foncé's voice.

"No!" Arisha dived behind a thick tree, Mikoro taking shelter behind a different tree. There was a long silence. No one moved. All Arisha could hear was her own fluttering heart.

_That was close,_ she thought. _Who knows how much damage that attack could've done to me if it connected._

"Doesn't this remind you," Foncé finally said, "of the day we met?"

Arisha clenched her teeth angrily. "As a matter of fact, it does!"

"We're right back at that game of hide-and-seek, aren't we?" The wicked girl sounded almost nostalgic.

Arisha grunted. She could never forget the day she thought she found a friend.

* * *

I was walking through the woods that day by myself. I felt so lonely and sad—who would want to be the friend of someone directly descended from one of the current village elders? My family was so famous; everyone must have though I was a total snob. I couldn't approach anyone my age out of fear that they would turn me away. 

And that's when I met her, the girl with the violet eyes and the funny joint markings that covered her hands. The one from the mysterious Ying clan.

When Foncé Ying first wandered out of the darkness, a bouquet of twilight roses in hand, I wasn't sure what to think. I knew her only vaguely from her occasional trips into the village, and we had never spoken to each other before. All I knew at that time was that she lived in a mansion outside the village and came from a rich family.

There was an awkward moment as we stared at each other, like we were afraid to speak. Finally Foncé said, "Good Evening."

"Hi," I answered back. I looked at her bouquet and said, "That's a beautiful collection of twilight roses."

"Thank you. My brother picked them for me."

"Your brother must love you very much."

"Yes he does."

There was another silence between us. I had to say something!

"You're from that rich family, right?" I asked. Now that I think about it, that was pretty lame, but I didn't know what else to say!

"Yes," she replied. "I am Foncé of the Clan Ying. You are Arisha Antonidas, the granddaughter of Elder Antonidas, correct?"

"I guess even people outside of the village know who I am, huh?"

"Vaguely," Foncé said, a little apologetically. "I just happened to see you a few times before in the village."

"Oh."

I as looked at her I tried to remember what I knew of the Ying clan. They were very wealthy and known to be reclusive and lived away from everybody else. My grandfather said that a few of their clan had been elders themselves. They sometimes threw parties for people, but this was rare. The current head of the family had been in the last Devil Battle. Because they lived away from everyone else they were the subject of a lot of rumors, most of them mean. There was a lot of speculation on where they got their fortune, and most people thought they were gangsters or something. There were even worse rumors saying that the Ying clan liked to kidnap children. A few even said that an ancestor of theirs was so evil that other Devils thought that all the Creatures of the Night were evil too, so we were all banished to the Ever Night Forest.

I wasn't sure about those rumors, but I _was_ sure that with such a sinister reputation they didn't interact outside their family very much. I felt bad then—there I was, feeling sorry for myself because I didn't think I could get a friend when Foncé was far worse off than I ever was.

"Hey," I said with a friendly smile, "would you like to play with me for a while?"

Foncé looked a little surprised by this, but she said, "Alright."

We ended up playing hide-and-seek in the woods. It felt so good to finally play with someone close to my age! We must have played for more than an hour when someone called for Foncé to come home.

"That's my brother," Foncé said. "I need to go home now, but…maybe we can see each other again tomorrow?"

I smiled and said, "Sure!"

"Foncé!" I heard her unseen brother shout. "It's time to come inside!"

"Please, just another minute Imité!" she called back. She thrust her bouquet into my hands, said something about it being a gift to me, and then scampered off into the darkness.

I looked at the beautiful black roses and marveled at their quality. I had to ask her where her brother picked these! I took it as a good sign for our friendship.

And for a time, it was good. We played and talked with each other, sharing our hopes and dreams, our plans for the future. We sometimes visited each other's houses. It was always fun to see Foncé's home, Eaunoir Sishang Manor, even if it was kind of spooky there. She had all kinds of strange toys and books to have fun with.

But then things began to change. Foncé said she wanted me to do some favors for her—strange, dark favors. At first they were just weird, like her asking me to bite her because she wanted to know what it was like to her blood drank by a vampire. But she then began to ask bad things, like sneaking into other people's houses to steal certain items. Foncé told me that it was justified because the people whose houses we broke into were bad, but I had my doubts. My grandfather knew some of these people and said they were good.

It got worse though. Foncé soon asked if I could help her break into the crypt of a past elder! She again justified it by saying that he had been corrupt in life, but I didn't like it anyway. I didn't like it at all.

Foncé ended up stealing a skull, a hand, and a few jeweled bracelets from the ancient corpse. When the desecration was discovered the village was in an uproar. I was terrified that someone would find evidence pointing toward me, but Foncé had been thorough in making sure no one would discover that we were the ones to have broken in, so we were never suspected.

I couldn't take it any more though, and I ran to Eaunoir Sishang to talk to Foncé. This couldn't go on anymore. The servants let me in after getting Foncé permission, and I confronted her in her room.

"Foncé," I said, "what we did last night was terrible, and we can't keep doing things like that!"

"Oh?" she asked coldly. "Why not?"

"What do you mean, 'why not?' It isn't right to steal and defile the dead!"

She waved her hand dismissively and said, "Morality like that only gets in the way when you really want something."

I stared at her. "I don't understand. Why are you doing this?"

"I knew we would have this talk sooner or later," Foncé said calmly. "The truth of the matter is that I don't really like you at all except as a convenient tool. I could never be friends with the likes of you."

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "You…you just wanted to use me?" I asked, trembling.

"I just wanted to use you," she confirmed. "You should be grateful that it never came to a 'fall-of-the-favorite' scenario. I could have had you blamed for everything had you been caught. And please, don't bother trying to tell everyone that I was the mastermind behind all of this. You'll only look desperate trying to make me your scapegoat. Besides, I made sure no incriminating evidence remains. No one can touch me. Now please, kindly remove your person from our property. The butler will open the door for you."

I ran sobbing from Foncé's room, from her manor. I had been taken advantage of and betrayed by the girl I considered my best friend. It's a horrible, sickening feeling to be betrayed, maybe the worst feeling of all. It's truly an unforgivable act. My so-called best friend would from then on be my worst enemy.

* * *

Just thinking back to that horrible time made fresh tears roll down Arisha's face. "_How could you!_" she demanded. "_How could you betray me like that!_" 

"_Ganzu Anheiru!_"

A barrage of black orbs came zooming out of the unknown ahead, exploding quietly against trees and tearing branches away. Mikoro and Arisha threw themselves to the ground to avoid the relentless attack. This continued for maybe fifteen more seconds before stopping.

"It was easy," said Foncé. "I wanted to be your friend at first. I truly did. But as I got to know you further I knew that you could never be my friend. You lacked the proper ambition and intelligence for me to really like you. At the most you would make an adequate pet or low-level minion for me.

"Now answer me this, Arisha: How many spells do you have right now?"

"Like I would ever tell you!" Arisha snapped back.

"For your sake you had better have more ways to attack me," chuckled Foncé. "If those were the best attacks you have then this battle ended the moment you came this far into the woods! The attacks you used won't be much good with all these trees in the way, and if you try to escape we'll open up on you with everything we have."

Arisha clenched her teeth. It was true that her two attack spells, Bekusen and Vareido, weren't all that useful at the moment. Even if she carefully directed Bekusen it wouldn't cause all that much damage. Her flying spell, Varoruku, was out of the question since there was no way she would be to maneuver through the thick trees. That just left her defense spell, Basuoshield.

_And if you try to escape we'll open up on you with everything we have._

Maybe things weren't so hopeless after all. In fact, Arisha thought she had an idea.

"Mikoro," she whispered, "I think I know a way out of this, but it will take a lot of your heart energy."

* * *

"Can't we just blitzkrieg them?" asked Ken. He was hunkered down in his hiding spot behind a thick bush. "If they're as weak as you think then we can just go in, guns blazing." 

"If we make the first move," Foncé replied, "then they may hit us with that bat swarm and they'll escape while we waste time killing the bats. No, we have to wait for them to do something foolish."

There was a sudden commotion in the area in front of them, like people clumsily trying to escape from a crowded forest. Foncé popped out of her hiding place and pointed her hand in the direction of the noise. She grinned when she saw that Arisha and her partner were trying to run. "Now Ken!"

"_Ganzu Anheiru!_"

The flurry of black orbs came again. They rushed toward Arisha and her partner in what looked to be a direct hit.

"_Basuoshield!_" the partner intoned.

A large purple disk with a black frame materialized before Arisha's outstretched hands as she left in front of her brave partner. The Ganzu Anheiru orbs struck the shield and detonated harmlessly and quietly against it. Basuoshield still stood firm after the assault finished.

"What?" Ken exclaimed. "That's not gonna stop us! _Anheiruga!_"

The deadly black corkscrew came forth and hit Basuoshield dead center. The concentrated beam of pure darkness drilled mercilessly into the glowing shield. Arisha and Mikoro could actually feel the cold darkness through Basuoshield. It was an insidious power, trying to worm its way into their hearts to sap their strength. It was becoming a chore for Mikoro to keep their shield up.

"They can't keep this up forever!" Arisha gasped. "When they stop we can get out of the forest!"

Not a second after Arisha said so, Anheiruga stopped.

"_Now!_" Arisha and Mikoro charged off while Ken recovered. The attack had taken its toll on Mikoro though.

"I don't think I can cast many more spells," she said as she exited the forest. ""Her spells seem to suck the strength out of me."

"Don't worry," said Arisha, "I'll take care of Foncé myself when she follows us. Just keep her partner from reading his book."

Arisha moved behind a tree. A moment later Foncé burst out from the forest with a murderous look on her face. Once again, Arisha body slammed her to the ground and began to wail on her enemy. Each punch hurt Arisha's knuckles, but she hardly felt it, channeling all of her rage toward the younger girl into her blows.

Ken emerged from the woods and shrieked with fury when he saw Foncé being pummeled. He flipped open his book when Mikoro ran up and swung her book with all her might into Ken's face. She was thrown off balance by her attack and lost her grip on her book, but the howl of pain she heard told her that she scored a good hit. Ken dropped his own book to clutch his face. Mikoro then ran into him, knocking him to the ground.

With no spells at their disposal, Arisha and Foncé rolled about on the grass, kicking, punching, biting, and screaming, each one determined to kill the other. Foncé may have possessed more spells and was more powerful magically, but Arisha was superior in terms of sheer physical strength. She was coming off much better than Foncé was in the fight.

Ken slammed his elbow into Mikoro's stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She fell down gasping, and Ken scooped up a book triumphantly. "Now you're gonna get it!" he crowed. "The fifth spell! _Huang'ou Anheiruga!_"

Foncé and Arisha continued to fight.

Ken's jaw dropped. "What? Why didn't it come out? Stupid book!" He flipped though it desperately. "_Anheiru! Anshield!_ _Ganzu Anheiru!_ _Anheiruga! Abracadabra! Alakazam! Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! Avada Kedavra! Kamehameha! Rasengan! Moon Tiara Action!_ Do _something_ you piece of shit!" He threw the book to the group in frustration, and suddenly realized that instead of being dark purple the book was a bluish-purple. He shrieked with the realization that he picked up the wrong book. Ken immediately fell to his knees, looked for the dark purple book. He then spotted it sitting unmolested by a bush. Tossing Arisha's book away like so much trash, he made a dive for Foncé's book and fell on top of it.

_Now I'll read a spell and blow that little bitch's head clean off!_ he thought.

"Read a word from that book," a familiar voice behind him said, "and you die!"

Ken paled and slowly turned his head. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Zero and Rahkshi, their multicolored book primed for action.

"Oh, hi guys!" he answered jovially, cold sweat rolling down his face. "You wouldn't be here to lend a hand, would you?"

"Nope," Rahkshi answered bluntly.

"Oh, well I guess that's your choice then!" Ken replied with false cheer.

* * *

The fight was still going. Their once fine clothes were torn and bloody. They both felt like their bodies were both just huge bruises. Yet the fought on, only their hatred for each other keeping them going. 

"I'm going to rib your fangs out and jam them in your eyes!" Foncé swore darkly.

That gave Arisha and idea. With her thumb squeezed into the wound she had inflicted on Foncé's shoulder with Vareido. With an agonized scream, Foncé loosened her grip on her opponent. Arisha took that moment swing her knee into Foncé's abdomen once, twice, three times. Foncé let out a final pained gurgle and she fell still.

Trembling, Arisha got to her feet. She tried to kick Foncé's prone form, but missed, and fell over next to her fallen foe. Both were breathing heavily, unable to continue any longer.

Zero rushed over to Arisha and gentled took her hand. "Arisha!" he said.

"Zero," she murmured weakly but happily. "I came through for you, didn't I?"

Zero smiled back slightly. "You sure did!"

"_Zero…_" Foncé tremblingly raised her hand, whispering through bloody, swollen lips. "_Zero…please…_"

The Hybrid Devil whirled around to Foncé, his face now an unholy mask of fury. "_Ying,_" he seethed. He slowly walked over to her and planted his foot on her stomach, and was satisfied by a squawk of pain from his former captor. He was so furious with the dark Devil beneath him that he had trouble finding the right words to say.

"You," he spat, "Foncé Ying, are the lowest, most depraved excuse for a Devil in all existence! Look at you; you're pathetic! You think you're hot stuff because you're rich, that you can do whatever you want because you came from a rich family. You're nothing but a parasite! The only reason you beat me that one time was sheer blind luck!"

He removed his foot and stepped away. "You're so pathetic that I'm not gonna destroy your book," he said. "Keep this in mind though: if you bother either me or Rahkshi again or if you come after Arisha and her partner I will make you _wish_ I burned your book here. Understand?"

Foncé made a faint gurgling noise.

"What was that?"

"_Yes,_" Foncé groaned miserably.

"Great." Zero turned away and carefully picked Arisha up and set her on his back. "Let's go," he said tenderly to her. He looked around. "Where's your partner? Oh, there she is."

Mikoro watched in amazement as Rahkshi repeatedly slammed his foot into Ken's side as he still lay atop his book.

"No! Mercy!"

"And _that's_ for blaming all your problems on me!"

"Please! I'm sorry!"

Zero smiled darkly. "Ah, sweet, sweet revenge."

* * *

It took about two hours before Foncé was able to move again, and every joint screamed in agony as she did so. Ken had to support her as they slowly made their way out of the park. They didn't speak to each other on the way back to the hotel. 

_Those two certainly are a sorry sight,_ Flagg thought as he watched the pair pass by the window of the Anna-Millers he and Désaxé were eating at.

"Eat, eat, eat!" Désaxé slurred as she shoveled french fries into her mouth and washed them down with a glass of chocolate milk. "Kill, kill, kill!"

"Hey, none of that now. This is a _family_ joint!" Flagg mock protested. "Are you gonna go talk to her now, or what?"

This last question seemed to click with the psychopathic Devil. "Not yet, not yet!" Désaxé said quickly. "The runt needs to rest. Can't test her yet!"

"I'll say she needs to. Looked like a dump truck ran her over!"

Désaxé's huge violet eyes widened. "Run over? Run over! Kill, kill, kill!"

Flagg sighed and leaned back in his seat. _There she goes again. What I wouldn't do for a Coors right now…_

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Well that wasn't so bad now, was it constant readers? What will Foncé do now that Zero's gained his freedom? Keep reading to find out!_

_By the way, Eaunoir Sishang is pronounced "OH-nwar s'shahng". The "I" in "Sishang" is silent._


	17. Level 17: Devils 2

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 17: 魔物2**

**Level 17: Devils 2**

"Ken," a sweet, gentle voice called out distantly. "Ken, please wake up."

Ken reluctantly opened his sleepy eyes. "Yeah, I'm up," he said drowsily as he rubbed his eyes. "What is it?"

A soft hand caressed his chin. It felt so warm and inviting that his eyes snapped open to see who it was. The round, smiling face of Midori Hachiya was just a few centimeters away from his own.

Ken felt back onto the bed, shocked and bewildered. "Miss Hachiya?" he stammered. His heart thumped wildly as the object of his desire just appeared unannounced in his hotel room.

"Good morning Ken," she said sweetly. Her words were like honey to his ears. "How's my favorite student doing?"

"I, uh," Ken stammered. He noticed that she wasn't wearing her usual green blazer; she just had her white blouse and long green skirt on. Her right breast was perilously close to his arm as she leaned over him, with a look of concern on her pretty face.

"Is something wrong Ken?" she asked.

"I got beat up today," he answered in a small voice.

The look of concern turned into outright sadness. "Oh, my poor student!" she lamented. "Don't worry—I'm here to take care of you!"

"Thank you!" he squeaked. "I don't deserve such kindness for you! Say, you're being awfully informal with me Miss Hachiya, calling me by my personal name."

She smiled and leaned closer. Her ample breast brushed his arm.

Oh god, she's not wearing a bra! 

"That's because we're going to be very close for a while Ken," she cooed. "So you can just call me Midori from now on."

"Yes Miss Hachi—I mean, Midori!"

* * *

"Oh wow Midori, you're so nice and smart. Let's run away together. We'll be so happy with each other." 

Foncé looked at Ken, her eyebrow raised in amusement. Even with all the bandages on his face she could see that he was blushing.

_I wonder if I should tell him he talks in his sleep,_ she thought dryly. Then a sudden pain stabbed her in the shoulder, reminding her of their absolute defeat that morning.

Slowly and carefully, Foncé climbed onto her own bed. Even then her battered form cried out in agony, but she made it anyway. She collapsed painfully into the soft mattress and began to wonder about their future.

_I should have burned his book right then and there,_ she thought, thinking back to the night she defeated Zero. _There was no way he'd actually join me. Why did I think I could control him? _

She looked over a Ken again, and realized that they were very vulnerable. She would heal completely in a few hours, but it might be more than a day before her partner feels well enough to fight again. It would be a simple matter for a pair to break in and burn her book or even kill Ken. Foncé thought about the partners they've killed before and how suddenly easy it would be for her partner to suffer the same fate.

She shook her head. She had to get her mind off of such things. Perhaps reading would help a bit.

Wincing, she reached to the stand next to her bed and managed to grab a hold of a book Ken recommended to her. She hadn't read any of it earlier since she was too busy researching the geography of France, but it couldn't hurt to look at it now.

She turned the book over so that she could take a look at the cover. _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ by J. K. Rowling.

_This looks perfectly ridiculous,_ Foncé thought. _But it will have to do._

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"_Anheiru!_"

"_Zegaru!_"

The two attacks collided and exploded in midair.

"They're not very strong, are they doctor?" the little puppet-like boy asked. His partner, a tall dapper gentleman with long gray hair and fine clothes, chuckled.

"That's right, Kid! These guys shouldn't be a problem!"

Lord Daniel Squalor cursed under his breath. He hated to admit it, but fighting didn't seem to be Imité's specialty. The boy's spells lacked power plain and simple.

"Hey, Daniel," Imité Ying said, "maybe we can retreat just one more time? We'll get them later."

Squalor slammed the book, turned around, and ran, his Devil hot on his heels. It was the seventh time they had to retreat from a battle that week. The Earl of Bootle was beginning to wonder if the pretty boy he had been saddled with was a hopeless dud.

_Maybe I can trade him for a Devil that shoots fire,_ he thought. _I've always wanted a flamethrower._

Kid and Dr. Riddles watched as the pair ran away, escaping back into the streets of Seville.

"That was fast," Kid remarked.

"Of course it was fast," Dr. Riddles replied. "I cast a spell that terrifies people with evil hearts! Evil people will run away at the first sight of us!"

Kid's eyes twinkled with wonder and amazement. "Really?" he asked.

The doctor smiled and said, "Just…kidding!"

Kid's face fell.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

_This one's tough,_ thought Fango. The black fox-like Creature of the Night was blindingly fast, and only Lukas Adler's timely usage of Wall Gadyun had been able to keep them safe. For the moment at least.

The black fox came charging at them again, this time trying to flank them from the right. Focusing through his tiny satellites, Fango willed the huge wall of flame to shield them. The fox was fast, but wasn't too keen on extreme heat.

"What are you doing?" the fox's partner yelled. The partner was a teenage girl in a black leather trench coat and black sunglasses. Adler took her to be one of those annoying _Matrix_ trilogy fans. "Find an opening you stupid ball of fur!"

"I'm trying, Mistress!" the Creature shouted back.

"Alder!" Fango snapped. "Let's attack them now!"

The blond young man nodded in confirmation and raised the geranium-colored book. "_Carving Gadyuu!_"

Fango's fire was gathered and condensed by his satellites into a monstrous beam of white-hot energy as thick as a tree trunk. "Get back to the Ever Night Forest were you belong, freak!" the diminutive energy Devil swore.

Carving Gadyuu rushed forward and narrowly missed the fox. Even so, she could feel the searing heat as if it touched her and she screamed. The fox threw herself away from the heat ray and rolled down a hill into a river. Her partner swore and jumped after her.

"We can boil them alive if we heat up the water," Fango said with a sadistic smile. "Use Arusemu Gadyuudon."

Alder was about to read from the book when the wail of police sirens could be heard in the distance. "The police!" he said. "Let's get out of here!"

Fango cast one last look at the river, and ran away with his partner.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"So what is it with this big rock?"

Howard Uluru turned toward the massive sandstone rock formation that his family was named for. It looked majestic at the distance he and Pattie were standing at. The sun behind gave Uluru Rock a beautiful deep purple outline. It made Uluru smile.

"That," the half-Anangu said, "is what the white Australians sometimes call Ayers Rock, but the Pitjantjatjara call it 'Uluru'."

"Hey, that's your name!" Pattie pointed out.

"It's also a local name," said Uluru. "It's pretty common with my people."

"That's nice," said the little water Devil as she looked at the huge rock. "It looks so romantic from this angle! I'd love to take my beloved Gash here for a camping trip!"

"You sure talk about this 'Gash' a lot," said Uluru.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

'_You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,' he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. 'As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.'_

_More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead._

'_Potter!' said Snape suddenly. 'What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?'_

_Powered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air._

'_I don't know, sir,' said Harry._

_Snape's lips curled into a sneer._

'_Tut, tut – fame clearly isn't everything.'_

Foncé hugged the book tightly to her chest and smiled wistfully. _Professor Snape—now _that's_ the man I want to marry!_ she thought with a mischievous giggle and an excited blush. It was a good thing Ken was still asleep—she would have lost too much face if he had seen her in such an undignified state of infatuation like that.

* * *

_Meanwhile…_

"Finally, I can rest," Kiyomaro Takamine sighed as he slid into bed. After that encounter with the wind-using Devil who kidnapped Suzume and Kaneyama he could use some rest.

"It sure would be nice if all those Devils would forget about us and go attack each other," he said as he wormed his way through the covers.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Okay, that didn't acomplish much. This was just to fill space and mention more cannon characters really. The next chapter be be more interesting._


	18. Level 18: Revelations of Power

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zero is property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 18: 力の暴露**

**Level 18: Revelations of Power**

When Ken finally woke up he saw that Foncé wasn't in her bed. The copy of _Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone_ he bought for her lay on the bed next to the spot where Foncé usually slept. He smiled a little at this. _She must be feeling better if she's out and about,_ he thought. He sat up, only to wince as his bruised side flashed with pain. Hissing painfully, Ken slowly got out of his bed and hobbled out of his room.

He found Foncé looked out a window, her back turned to him. Even though he couldn't see her face he was sure she was looking out at Mochinoki intensely.

"Morning Foncé," he said. "You look better."

"Good morning, Ken," she replied without turning around. Her voice was flat.

Ken was taken aback by her tone. He didn't like it very much and wondered if she was angry. "Is something wrong?" he asked, a note of worry in his voice.

"Power," Foncé replied curtly.

"Power?"

"Power." The dark Devil turned around, her face hard, her eyes glittering. Ken was stunned by how quickly she had healed. He couldn't tell that she had been so swollen and bruised just the day before. "No one wants less power; everyone wants more. The feeling of having no power over people and events is generally unbearable—when we feel helpless we feel miserable."

"I know how that feels," said Ken, bad memories of school coming back to haunt him.

"It is a game," Foncé continued. "A game we have been getting by on luck alone so far. We can't any longer."

"On _luck_?" asked Ken. "I thought we were doing pretty well there on our own."

"I had been going about this the wrong way," said Foncé. "It is not through coercion we gain allies; we must be patient and work on the hearts and minds of others. We must seduce others into _wanting_ to follow our direction. A person we have seduced becomes our loyal pawn. And the way to seduce others is to operate on their individual psychologies and weaknesses. Soften up the resistant by working on their emotions, playing on what they hold dear and what they fear."

"That's a very good idea," Ken said, "except, we're at war here, aren't we? I don't think having a nice chat is very high on the list of things to do with other Devils."

"I'm aware of that. That's also why we have to defeat some enemies by turning them into allies."

"Didn't we already try that with…less than stellar results?"

"Zero was too stubborn, and my attempts win him over were all incorrect. I pushed him too hard, and now no amount of kindness on my part will win him over. There are some lessons we must learn to always follow, in the Devil Battle and in casual life."

Ken pulled up a chair, looking interested. "I'm listening," he remarked.

"First," said Foncé, holding up an index finger for emphasis, "and most important, is to master our emotions. An emotional response to a situation is the single greatest barrier to power, a mistake that will cost us far more than any temporary satisfaction we might get by expressing our feelings. Emotions cloud reason, and if we can't see the situation clearly, we can't prepare for and respond to it with any degree of control. Anger is the most destructive of emotional responses for it clouds your vision the most. It can also have a rippling effect that makes situations less controllable and may even heighten an enemy's resolve. It's wiser to keep the enemy off-guard by feigning friendliness than showing your anger. Love and affection are also potentially destructive in that they blind you to the self-serving interests of those whom you least suspect of playing a power game. We can't repress these emotions, of course, but we need to be aware of how we express them, and must _never_ let emotion influence our plans and strategies in any way."

"That sounds somewhat counterproductive," said Ken. "Isn't emotion what I use to power your spells?"

"It is just not the emotion itself you give me," said Foncé, "but the darkness in your heart. It's what we Creatures of the Night thrive off of, even completely innocent ones who only wish to help other people."

"Oh, okay," Ken replied. "I guess that explains why you got stuck with me then. I've got a pretty dark heart, right?"

"That and our hearts are on the same wavelength. There is some unique quality that our hearts share. It is when our hearts are in perfect harmony that we become stronger. There are some special Devils with the ability to harmonize their hearts with any human's, such as one prodigy named Wiseman, but these cases are extremely rare.

"So anyway, related to mastering emotion is the ability to distance yourself from the present moment in order to think objectively about the past and future. We need to always look in both directions at once while still keeping an eye on the present. For the future, our motto must be, 'No days unalert'. Nothing should catch us by surprise because we're constantly imagining problems before they arise. Instead of dreaming of my becoming Queen of the World of Devils or you becoming King of the World of Humans we must work on getting there first, calculating every possible permutation and pitfall that might befall us. The further you see, the more steps ahead you plan, the more powerful you become. For the past, we must educate ourselves. Historical events, past mistakes, personal experience. We learn from it and apply it to the present. Look at your past mistakes and say, 'I shall never repeat such a mistake; I shall never fall into such a trap again'. We can't look at the past remember past hurts or bear grudges though; that would only curb our power by making us petty. Half of the game is to forget those events in the past that eat away at you and cloud your reason."

"But I want to take revenge on everyone who wronged me!" Ken cried. "They _all_ need to pay!"

"Don't think of it like that," Foncé replied. "Think of these people as practice. We can go kill them later, but as an exercise, not revenge."

"As long as they die screaming," Ken grumbled.

"So then," said Foncé, "power requires the ability to play with appearances. To this end you must learn to wear many masks and keep a bag full of wonderful, deceptive tricks. To succeed at deception we have to take somewhat distanced approaches to ourselves. With this flexibility we lose the inward heaviness that holds more honest people down. We have to have faces as malleable as soft clay, sculpting ourselves to conceal our intentions and to lure enemies into traps. Playing with appearances and mastering arts of deception are among the aesthetic pleasures of life. It is also the most potent weapon in our arsenal, with patience as our unbreakable shield. Patience protects us from making moronic blunders. Like mastering emotion, patience is a skill—it doesn't came naturally. But nothing about power is natural; power is more godlike than anything in our worlds. And patience is the supreme virtue of the gods, who have nothing but time. Everything good will happen—the grass will grow again if you give it time and you see several steps into the future. Impatience, on the other hand, we make you look weak."

"Wow. Was an ancestor of yours partnered with Sunzi or Niccolò Machiavelli in a prior Devil Battle?" Ken asked jokingly.

"Power is essentially amoral," Foncé continued without responding to Ken's little joke, "and one of the most important skills to acquire is the ability to see circumstances rather than good or evil. Power is a game—this can't be repeated enough—and in games you don't judge your opponents by their intentions but by the effect of their actions. You measure their strategy and their power by what you can see and feel. Your opponent sits opposite you. Both of you behave as ladies or gentlemen, observing the rules of the game and taking nothing personally. You play with a strategy and you observe your opponent's moves with as much calmness as you can muster. In the end you will appreciate the politeness of those you are playing with more than their good intentions. Train your eye to follow the results of their moves, the outward of circumstances, and do not be distracted by anything else."

"I take it back," said Ken. "Your ancestor must have been partnered with Freidrich Nietzche. _Beyond Good and Evil_ and all that."

"A few more things," said Foncé. "We must always ask ourselves what the price of our actions will be. We ultimately have a limited about of time, so we must weigh our choices carefully. Time and peace of mind are too valuable to waste on the trivial affairs of others. Also remember that power is a social game. You need to study and understand people, recognize motivations through the cloud of dust with which people surround their actions. Understanding people's hidden motives is the single greatest piece of knowledge you can have in acquiring power. It opens up endless possibilities of deception, seduction, and manipulation."

Ken inwardly groaned at this. For as long as he could remember he stayed away from other people, preferring to keep to himself. It was because other kids wouldn't leave him alone that he hated them so much. Actually mingling with people to learn about them sounded utterly hellish to him.

"Is that all?" he asked.

"That all I can say for now," said Foncé. "If I went into detail on every point right now I'd still be here talking to you a day later."

Ken rubbed his eyes. "Did you like the book?"

"Oh, yes. That was quite a fine read," she replied. "I'd really like to read more." She looked at him carefully. "Are you feeling better?"

"Yeah, a bit. I wish I could heal as fast as you."

"Don't worry Ken; I'll take good care of you as long as you still ache."

"That's good to hear."

"I'll even kiss you goodnight to make you feel better!"

"That's…okay."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: We've seen Foncé's sadistic side before, so here's her cold, amoral side. _

_See you next chapter!_


	19. Level 19: The Fortune Teller

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 19: 占い師**

**Level 19: The Fortune Teller**

"So this is Japan," Mistera Cellini remarked as she exited the comfortable charter bus and stepped out into the warm night air. She looked around at the shining stores and restaurants of Mochinoki's shopping district. "This is okay, I guess."

Ishtar stepped off next to her, clutching her long golden staff. Her dark blue robe glittered in the fading light. She was quite a sight in her strange robe covered in mystical astrological symbols and her pointed blue hat. "Let's check into a hotel and then check out the shopping centers before finding Devils to burn," she said. "You picked a place to stay, right?"

Mistera looked at a small travel guide to Mochinoki. "It's called il Castello, which this guide claims to be the finest hotel in the area. It's probably not as good as il Palazzo in Tokyo, but what the hell; it can't be bad."

"The name _is_ kind of suspicious though," Ishtar remarked. "Do you think that the owners of il Palazzo can take legal action against the owners of il Castello?"

"I don't know and I don't care. What I _do_ want to know is if il Palazzo is swamped with _Excel Saga_ cosplayers."

Ishtar giggled dizzily. "That would be funny."

Mistera tossed her platinum blond hair back and yawned loudly. "But let's get that hotel room first. I'm tired."

They walked in the direction of il Castello. Ishtar glanced around the town and smiled. _So this is where we'll encounter our destiny,_ she thought.

* * *

"So are we still going on that trip to France?" asked Ken. 

"Yes, eventually," Foncé replied.

The two of them were heading through the lobby to go out for dinner. It had been two days since Foncé's speech on power, and Ken had healed considerably since then. Foncé, being a Devil, had healed completely by then. Ken envied how fast Devils were able to heal, and not for the first time he wondered if he would like it if he were the Devil and Foncé the human.

_I wonder what my power would be,_ he thought. _What color would my book be?_

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt Foncé tug on his sleeve. "Huh? What is it Foncé?"

"_Quiet!_" she hissed. She then jerked her head in the direction of a pair signing in at the hotel's main desk. One was a tall, statuesque blond woman in a shimmering red dress and a designer tote bag slung over her left shoulder along with a classy looking leather purse. Next to her was a blond girl in what looked like a glittering dark blue witch's costume, complete with a pointed hat. It didn't take a terrible stretch of the imagination as to what might be inside the tote bag. Instinctively, Ken's hand reached into his own bag.

"What do you suggest?" he asked quietly.

"We have to be sure. Get close and see how they react if you mention the word 'Devil' to them," Foncé whispered back. "Let them know you're on to them and offer to sit down and discuss with them. If it turns out they're not a Devil pair then just say you're playing around."

"'Playing around'? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Just do it," she muttered.

Ken grumbled and headed over to the pair just as they finished their business with the main desk. "Uh, excuse me!" Ken called to them. They stopped and looked at him.

"Yes?" asked the older woman.

Ken approached them, feeling a little silly. "I, uh," stammered, "know what you're up to here."

The woman gave him a weird look. "What?"

"There are, uh, a lot of Devils in this world, right?"

The pair seemed to stiffen slightly at this.

"What do you mean?" the girl asked suspiciously.

Ken smiled craftily, already feeling more confident. He felt like a suave villain in a spy movie smugly confronting the hero in a place where he held all the cards. It was rather exciting.

He leaned forward and said in a conspiratorial whisper, "I'm on to you two. Let's sit down and talk about this a bit. Try anything funny and I'll burn your precious Devil's book. Got it?"

The woman's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" she hissed.

"Just follow me," Ken chuckled, and headed over to a table where Foncé had relocated. The pair followed. Soon everyone was seated.

"You guys must think you're _so_ clever," the woman muttered.

The girl looked closely at Foncé, a look of wonder and what seemed like recognition on her face.

"What's with you?" asked Ken.

"You feel…different…" the girl murmured dreamily.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Ishtar has very special senses," the woman said, a blond eyebrow raised questioningly. "She hasn't been wrong before, and she did say we would meet destiny here in Japan."

"Yes…" Ishtar said. "Please, let me see your hand."

Foncé offered her left hand to the other Devil girl, who promptly took her hand and began to run her fingers over the pale palm. Ishtar's eyes widened and grew glassy.

"She's found something!" the woman exclaimed. She leaned forward to her Devil and excitedly asked, "What is it Ishtar?"

"Darkness, Mistera," Ishtar droned in a flat, monotone voice, completely different from her formerly light and giggly voice. "A messiah indwelt by a black serpent and sits upon a black throne, to its left a messenger, to its right a magician. Beneath them stand ten kings, blessed by the messiah. All of them reside within a dark tower."

Mistera looked enthralled. "Yes? Yes?" she questioned.

Ken was about to remark that fortune telling was just superstitious bullshit when he remembered that he was the bookkeeper of a Devil from another dimension. That gave him pause, and he began to wonder if God, Satan, Heaven, Hell, angels, witches, ghosts, goblins, psychics, Bigfoot, and the Loch Ness Monster were real. It was a frightening and humbling thought that the natural, orderly world he believed in might really be so chaotic and terrifying.

"What does it have to do with Foncé?" he asked, somewhat timidly.

"Darkness…" Ishtar intoned. "Snakes…_snakes!_" She began to shiver violently, as if caught in a sudden draft of cold air.

Foncé watched the girl with a combination of faint amusement and curiosity. "Whatever is going on in her vision it sounds quite lovely," she deadpanned.

Ishtar suddenly let out a groan and released Foncé's hand, slumping back into her chair, her eyes now screwed tightly shut. She was panting raggedly.

"So that was my fortune?" asked Foncé. "That was a little vague. Where was I in your vision?"

"Was I in there?" Ken asked worriedly.

"I didn't see either of you there," Ishtar panted. "I just know that you will play a part in the events shown in my vision."

"Well then, who was the messiah?" asked Mistera.

"I couldn't see any of their faces," Ishtar answered. She suddenly got up and squeezed Foncé's hand. "I don't know what it is, but you're destined for something involving my vision…and I was destined to meet you! I saw that we would find destiny in Japan, and you must be it! Please, tell me your name!"

"I'm Foncé of Clan Ying," Foncé said, looking down at Ishtar's hand like it was something strange. "Foncé Ying informally."

"Foncé! What a wonderful name! And your partner?"

"I'm Ken Bak," came the reply.

"I am Ishtar, and this is my partner, Mistera Cellini!" Ishtar chimed, her voice having regained its cheer.

"Please let go of my hand."

"Ah!" Ishtar released Foncé's hand. "Many apologies!"

"I accept all of them," Foncé said as she peered at her own hand.

"So what's going on?" asked Mistera.

"Something very important will happen to this one," Ishtar said, indicating Foncé, "and I'm going to find out what! My vision brought us together, so we're going to join forces."

"Well, that was easy," said Foncé wryly.

"I thought we came to Japan to enact that plan of yours," Mistera said. Ishtar shook her head.

"My vision told me that we would meet our destiny in Japan. I first interpreted it as my plan to eliminate a great deal of rival Devils would work, but instead it lead us to Foncé and Ken."

"Plan?" asked Ken.

"Surely you've noticed," said Ishtar, "that a disproportionate amount of Devils find their partners in Japan. I devised a plan to draw them out and have them all crushed. I can call forth powerful monsters to do my bidding. A giant monster would attract the attention of many Devils."

"Oh," said Ken. "Well I'm happy you met us before trying that."

Foncé's eyes glittered. "Call forth powerful creatures? A most fascinating power indeed. I've never met a summoner before. It would be a pleasure to join forces with you."

Ishtar smiled cheekily to her new teammate. "So you now know my power. What's yours?

"Darkness, naturally."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: So now Foncé has a _true_ teammate in crime. I'm sure Ishtar's going to be _really_ handy when they battle the dreaded Désaxé next chapter! Till next time!_


	20. Level 20: Dancing Mad

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 20: 妖星乱舞**

**Level 20: Dancing Mad**

It seemed like a perfectly ordinary day when Foncé woke up early that morning. As usual, Ken was still asleep when Foncé awoke. She changed out of her nightgown, took a bath, and got changed. It was after getting into her dress when she noticed something was off that morning. On her king-sized bed was a white sheet of paper that wasn't there before. Scrawled upon it in a spiky handwriting was this message:

_Foncé Ying, _

_Come meet us at that park you like to use for battles at 8:00 A.M. by the playground. Bring your partner and book. Take your new friends with you if you wish—we don't really care if they come since it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you come and you're able to battle. We need to discuss something. If you don't come, we'll destroy il Castello and make you come._

_Your friends D. & F._

_Some friends?_ thought Foncé. _D. and F.? _She wracked her memory, but she couldn't remember anyone with names that began with a "D" or an "F". How peculiar. Who were these people, and how did they get into her hotel room so quietly?

_Whoever they are, it sounds like they want a fight. Well we'll give them one. This will be a nice opportunity to see just what kind of fighter Ishtar is._

A little bit later, everyone had assembled for breakfast. Foncé showed them the note. "What do you think?" she asked.

"I don't want to have to pay for another hotel," Mistera answered. "I think we'd better show up."

Ken crossed his arms grumpily. "I just want to know how these people got in our room. I'd like to smack them around a bit for that."

Foncé turned to Ishtar, who was sitting across from her at the table. "And you?"

Ishtar's eyes turned misty. "Our first battle together! How historic! I so want to see your spells in action!"

"Okay," Foncé said. She was beginning to wonder about her new "friend".

"I must admit, I'm rather curious about this whole situation myself. I think we should go soon then."

"I guess we better," Ken replied as he looked at his watch. "It'll be time soon."

"Let's clean up and go then," Mistera said. "I just hope we don't have to wait long. I hate waiting."

* * *

_So here we are, waiting. _

It was a warm, sunny day at the park. Loathsomely so to Foncé and Ken, but Ishtar and Mistera seemed to enjoy it. They were all standing by the playground area. Except for them, it was empty.

"I don't know about you," said Ken, "but I'm really getting sick of this park."

"Our first battle together!" Ishtar gushed. "I wish we could have practiced before hand, but I'll bet this will be fun!" The blond Devil then took Foncé's hand. "Hey Foncé, wanna play on the swing with me?"

"No, thank you," Foncé stated. "Besides, you seem a little old for that."

"You can _never_ be too old for the swing set!"

"Having fun, are we?" a strange voice said. Everyone turned to see a tall, thin girl had appeared upon a plastic slide that resembled a pale blue elephant. She wore a finely pressed crimson business suit, smart black shoes, and white gloves. Her head was lowered, her long black hair obscuring her face.

"So you came, runt!" the strange girl droned weirdly. "It's time we finally met vis-à-vis!" She let out a sudden high-pitched giggle, her entire body quivering.

A man in a gray hooded sweatshirt and faded blue jeans stepped out from behind the slide. Foncé blinked; she was sure no one had been there earlier, and there was no way the man could have walked over without her noticing it.

"She's character, isn't she?" he drawled in a cheery tone of voice. "She's right too; you _are_ a runt now that look at you."

"D. and F. I presume?" asked Foncé.

The man pointed his finger like a pistol at Foncé and jerked his hand, as if he had fired. "You bet your fur! The name is Flagg, with the double 'G'."

"And I," the strange girl crowed, "am Désaxé!" With that, she leapt from her perch to land gracefully beside Flagg. From under his jacket, Flagg produced an amber Devil's book. It glowed menacingly in his hand.

"Do you know any of these people?" Ken asked Foncé.

"I've never seen either of them before in my life," Foncé replied. To Désaxé and Flagg she said, "What did you wish to discuss?"

Désaxé lurched forward, like one of the ghouls from _Day of the Dead_. "Runt," she said, her tone now amused and sly, "where does your power come from?"

Foncé was taken aback by this. She glanced over at Ken, then back to Désaxé. "As a Creature of the Night, my power stems from the darkness in my partner's heart," she answered. "He channels it through my book."

Désaxé suddenly jerked her head up and screeched loudly. "_That's not what I wanted to hear, runt!_" She threw her arms up, her palms facing out. This could only mean one thing…

"_Gigano Anheiru!_" Flagg read.

A black ball of energy formed at Désaxé's palms and ballooned to the size of a large beach ball. It fired from her hands and flew past Foncé and her friends, a cold breeze left in its wake. Gigano Anheiru sailed over to the grove of trees where Foncé and Arisha had a standoff and detonated in a flash of darkness, disintegrating the trees.

The group stared at the spot were the trees used to be in awe and horror. Foncé in particular was chilled. This Désaxé was a dark Devil herself, and an enormously powerful one at that. What frightened Foncé was the amount of destruction Désaxé created _in the daylight_. If she was capable of leveling that grove with a single spell in the day then she must be phenomenally powerful at night.

_What's more, this girl is already using Gigano-level spells this early in the Battle,_ she thought.

"Let's try that again," said Flagg, his voice evilly cheerful. "Maybe the wording threw you off a bit. Okay, where do your _spells_ come from?"

Foncé knew now that she had to think very carefully about her answer. Who knew what these lunatics would do next if her gave them an answer that didn't satisfy them.

_But that's the problem,_ she though grimly. _That Devil girl seems quite unstable, and the right answer may exist only in her mind._

"Tick tock, tick tock," Désaxé chanted menacingly.

Foncé decided to give the only answer she could. "They come from me."

Désaxé stiffened, and everyone braced themselves for a furious assault. But then the girl began swaying from side to side and cackled loudly. "Yes, runt! Inside! Inside!"

The group breathed a sigh of relief. "Can we go now?" Mistera asked timidly.

"_No!_" Désaxé suddenly screamed. The shock caused Mistera to stumble backward and fall onto her behind.

"We're not done here," the lunatic growled. "_Quickly!_ Why do you get your spells?"

Foncé was stumped now. Her pervious spells seemed to come from Ken himself under strenuous circumstances, but she wasn't so sure about the exact criteria. She didn't know what Désaxé was looking for this time, but if she didn't answer they might get attacked. It might not be too bad if Ishtar got sent back, but the thought of losing Ken and her chance to rule the World of Devils…

"I—"

"_Answer!_"

Foncé took a step back, now visibly worried. She could feel her companions' fear too. "They—come from my partner's need for them?" she asked carefully.

Désaxé fell silent. Foncé wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

_Well, she's not attacking at least._

In the twinkling of an eye, Désaxé rushed forward. Her gloved hand grasped Foncé's hair and cruelly yanked her away from Ken. Foncé shrieked with surprise and pain, faintly hearing her companions in an uproar over this. Then she found herself being ground face first into the grass. Foncé cried and protested this treatment, Désaxé simply pushed her deeper into the grass. Her grip was like steel.

"What do you fight for?" the Désaxé growled.

"_Let her go!_"

Foncé's saw through the corner of her eye Ishtar rushed toward them, her hands outstretched. _What is that fool doing?_ Foncé thought. _Does she want to be hurt too?_ She could hear Mistera yell something, but it sounded far away to her ears. Foncé hoped it was a spell, not a cry of panic.

Luckily, it was a spell by the look of it. What appeared to be a pale brown card fired from Ishtar's hand at high speed. Foncé couldn't see much with her face it the grass. If the spell connected she couldn't tell.

Then there was a sharp cracking sound, and Foncé heard Ishtar cry out. She didn't know what happened, but it couldn't have been good.

_It is her fault for rushing in blindly,_ the coldly logical part of her brain said.

_Why did she do that? Does she really care about me that much?_ the hotly passionate part of her brain asked. It was strange to think about, and Foncé now wondered about Ishtar more than ever.

"I'll ask you again," said Désaxé. "What do you fight for?" She turned Foncé head to the side slightly to allow an answer.

"Power, prestige, knowledge!" Foncé quickly listed off. "To prove myself!"

"What do you want right now?" asked Désaxé. "More than anything in the world, right at this second? Answer truthfully runt! If I think you're lying then I'll break your little arm!"

Foncé gritted her teeth. Anger welled up inside her. Her frustration over the last few days swelled. She thought of Zero defying her, of Arisha humiliating her, of being kept helpless, of the possibility that she might be sent back and Ken being killed. Something deep down inside her began to squirm, something black and twisted and ancient. Her head began to ache. Whatever was inside of her was thrashing about, screaming. A jumble of images flashed through her head, memories of her traveling through a desert, shooting a spell into a large group of people, of sleeping with her partner lovingly.

_You silly little girl,_ the coldly logical part of her brain scolded. _None of that ever happened to you._

"Well?"

Foncé knew the answer now. "_I want to kill you!_"

* * *

Ken hated how helpless he felt then. The crazed Devil had Foncé pinned so she would be able to point her spells at her targets. Reading a spell now might harm Foncé rather than the enemy. Ishtar and Mistera tried to help, but somehow Désaxé not only avoided Ishtar's attack, but she gave heran uppercut that knocked her unconscious. All of this without moving from her spot or even looking away from Foncé. 

He clutched the dark purple book to his chest, at the verge of angry tears. He couldn't lose Foncé now, not before he had his revenge, before he changed the world to suit him better. He needed Foncé's power for that.

Then, without warming, his head felt like it was splitting open like a melon. He cried out and nearly dropped the book in his pain. He looked over at Foncé and Désaxé again, and saw Foncé was glowing with an evil-looking nimbus of purple light.

_What's happening?_ he thought through the haze of pain. He looked at the book, and saw that it too was burning with the purple light. In fact, the light was spreading from the book and engulfing him. It felt good somehow, even with his headache. Her could hear indistinct high-pitched voices whispering to him. He couldn't focus on any one voice, but he knew they were telling him evil things. He liked their songs of hate and murder, and it reminded him of everyone he had ever wanted to kill.

The book suddenly flew open, the pages flipping past of their own accord. The pages were all glowing crazily, dozens of spells flashing up and vanishing as quickly as they came. He had no time to read any of them.

Then he saw one appear and didn't vanish. It was called _Teor'anheiru_.

* * *

"How will you kill me?" Désaxé demanded. "I'm bigger, stronger, and faster than you are! How will you ever be able to kill me?" 

"_I'm an elite Devil!_" Foncé cried. "_I can do whatever I want! I have the power to kill you! I _will _kill you!_"

Désaxé began to cackle madly. "Good, runt! That's just what I wanted to hear!" She then released Foncé and danced back to Flagg's side. She was grinning widely.

Foncé got up, looking angrier than she ever had before. She pointed her hands at Désaxé and Flagg, ready to cast a spell. "_Ken!_" she yelled.

"The sixth spell!" he read. "_Teor'anheiru!_"

Black energy gathered in Foncé's hands like for Anheiru. But the spell that fired from her hands wasn't her usual base spell. It was Anheiru multiplied by ten in power. Désaxé calmly stepped in front of her partner to take the full brunt of the attack, which exploded magnificently. The dark explosion engulfed the playground.

Ken dropped to his knees, breathing hard. The headache was lifting, and the book was going back to normal. Foncé wasn't glowing anymore either. She looked grimly at the fading black explosion.

"Good, runt!" Désaxé chuckled, sounding slightly pained but satisfied. She walked out from the fading explosion, her clothes tattered but otherwise she wasn't hurt too badly. "So you are elite! When you know that you get your spells from within you will be invincible in battle!"

Flagg stepped out from behind Désaxé, also unharmed. "Our work here is done, for now at least. It was nice meeting you!" They then turned to leave.

"_Wait!_" Foncé demanded. "What's going on here? You put me through that just so I'd get another spell? Who are you really? What do you want?"

Désaxé stopped and turned back to Foncé, her face split by a wicked grin. "Who am I?" she asked. She held up her left hand. The gloves had been destroyed, leaving her hands totally visible. Foncé's eyes widened at what she saw.

"Are you…related to me?" she asked.

"I'm related to you," Désaxé said, flexing her fingers to emphasize the markings on her finger joints, "but I'm not of Clan Ying!"

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I'm to be working on a Halloween based story for the rest of the month, I'll put this story aside for now._


	21. Level 21: Friendship

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 21: 友情**

**Level 21: Friendship**

"_I'm related to you, but I'm not of Clan Ying!"_

"_Related to me, but not of Clan Ying? But that must mean—"_

"_We'll meet again in time, runt."_

* * *

_I'm sure we will,_ thought Foncé as she sat beside Ishtar's bed. They were back at il Castello Hotel. Foncé asked if she could watch over Ishtar until she woke up. Mistera agreed. 

So Foncé sat next waiting next to Ishtar, wishing to talk with her when she woke up. Until then all she had was her thoughts to keep her company. Her thoughts were confused indeed. Something very strange had happened when Désaxé was trying to force a new spell out of her. What puzzled Foncé the most were the series of images that briefly flashed through her mind. They were like memories, but she could not remember actually experiencing them. There had been one "memory" of her making love to someone, and that was flat-out impossible.

Yet, Foncé had been experiencing what she could only describe as feelings of lust and sexual frustration, and that was impossible too, wasn't it? She knew that she was developing a sexual and emotional attachment to Ken, and sometimes she fantasized about becoming queen of the World of Devils and making Ken her king. She had felt a physical attraction to Zero as well, but no real emotional attraction—he had just been handsome and powerful to her, nothing more.

So what were those memories? Maybe they were really Désaxé's, and she was transmitting them, perhaps unwittingly, to her. It didn't any sense why Désaxé would do such a thing, but it was the only explanation Foncé could think of.

Désaxé. The markings on her finger joints made it all too clear that she was a relative, and now that Foncé reflected back on it she thought she could see some of her father's facial features in Désaxé. Could it be that Désaxé was an older sister she never knew about? It wasn't entirely far-fetched. The Ying Clan was very strict about "purity" and protecting its reputation. Children with mental or physical ailments might be cast out or even killed, preventing them from taking on the Ying name. If this were the case with Désaxé then that would certainly explain why she claimed not to be apart of their clan. If that were true and Désaxé was aware of all this then she might hold a deep hatred for those baring the Ying name. But she had aided her instead, albeit in an exceptionally brutal way.

Foncé shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. Adult feelings, impossible memories, and Désaxé. It made no sense to her. Maybe the big family secret her father discovered was that the Ying clan went through puberty much earlier than other Devils. Wouldn't it be funny if that were the reason behind her sexual feelings?

_That would be a _real _scream alright,_ she thought bitterly. _Thank you so much, father._

* * *

It wasn't long before Ishtar stirred and opened her eyes. Foncé noticed she was awake and asked, "Are you alright?" 

Ishtar rubbed the spot on her chin where Désaxé had given her an uppercut and winced. "Still tender," she replied.

"It sure was foolish of you to charge in like that," Foncé deadpanned. "It would've been smarter for you to have run away while she was distracted by me."

"But you were in trouble! I couldn't just leave you there."

"It all worked out regardless. They didn't really want to burn my book at all."

"But what if they _did_ mean you real harm? Would you want me to run away then?"

"You don't owe me anything. It would be in your best interest to safe yourself and your partner instead."

Ishtar sat up and grabbed Foncé's hands. "But you're destined for something special! I saw it in my vision! You're different from any other Devil I've ever known. I have to know more about you, see what will happen to you." She squeezed Foncé's hands. "I'm…fascinated by you, Foncé. I want to help you, see you succeed. I want to be your friend."

Foncé looked from Ishtar to their hands to Ishtar again. "Ishtar, I…I didn't know you felt so _strongly_ about me."

"Well…now you know!"

Foncé wasn't sure what to make of this situation. She was now convinced that Ishtar wanted to be more than friends with her, and Foncé didn't know if that were flattering or not. Foncé had always wanted a personal fawning lackey, and now that Ishtar had tried to help her back in the park she felt that she at least owed her a favor. It was only polite to do so, and the Ying clan was at the top of polite society.

"There's just something about you," Ishtar went on, "something that just _draws_ me to you, like a star draws a planet."

"Alright, I believe you," Foncé quickly said with a weak smile. "To tell you the truth, it will be pleasant to have someone other than Ken to talk to now. Just keep me informed if you have any more visions about me."

Ishtar's eyes lit up. "Really? Oh yes, of course!" She released Foncé's hands to hug her. "This is going to be so much fun! We can be like sisters!"

Foncé's face turned beet-red at such an open display of affection. "Yes. Fun," she replied stiffly. "You can let go of me now, please."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: So I didn't keep my promise. I just wanted to get this short chapter out. I don't normally like the really short chapters, but I had fun with this one. It at least answers and raises some questions._


	22. Level 22: Visions

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 22: 霊夢**

**Level 22: Visions**

"So how's she doing?" asked Ken.

"Fine, I suppose," Foncé replied. She had returned to their bedroom from her little talk with Ishtar. Foncé and Ken were sitting on their respective beds.

Ken's head still throbbed achingly a little from their run-in with Désaxé. It reminded him of the strange things that happened during the battle. "Foncé," he said. "Something really weird happened when we were in the park. The book flashed and filled up with spells for a moment."

Foncé was surprised. "Excuse me?" she asked.

"The book. Spells kept appearing and disappearing on all the pages. The whole book was filled for a while. And I heard voices whispering to me. I couldn't hear them very well, but I got the impression that they were telling me to kill."

"Kill what?"

"Nothing in particular. They just seemed to be violent thoughts. It was a little scary, but at the same time comforting. I just wanted…to give in to them."

"How interesting. I experienced some strange things too. While Désaxé had me trapped I saw memories that didn't belong to me and I heard a screaming in my mind."

"Memories that didn't belong to you?"

"It was like I remembered things that never happened to me. Has that ever happened to you?"

"Sometimes. I'd remember something I saw in a movie and mistakenly apply it to something that happened in real life."

"But these weren't things I saw in a film before. The only explanation I have is that the memories came from Désaxé herself."

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know, but they weren't _my_ memories, so that's what I believe happened until a better theory comes along."

"You know, I saw you glowing for a while. The same time the book was glowing and I heard the whispers. Maybe your 'memories' have something to do with that."

"That's a good possibility. Now I want to go to Auseuil more than ever. I know something can be found there! I just know it!"

Ken scratched his head. "After that, I'm more inclined to believe you now. I have the feeling stuff like that doesn't happen to just any Devil and partner."

"Probably not."

"Say," Ken said slowly, "why don't you just ask that girl Ishtar to see if she can discover if there really is something in Auseuil, or what the secret you're looking for is anyway."

"I don't know," said Foncé, "even if she can answer all of my questions she'll just give a vague answer that can have many interpretations. Like how she claims not to know why I'm special to her anyway, just that I am special in some way." Foncé decided not to tell Ken about Ishtar's apparent attraction to her.

"Oh," Ken replied. "So, uh, what were your false memories?"

Foncé turned away and blushed. _Don't lose face, don't lose face, don't lose face…_

"I'd rather not talk about it right now, please."

"Oh."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Then, could you tell me about that Devil in the park?"

"Her name's Désaxé, and I think she's my sister."

"_Sister!?_"

Foncé explained.

* * *

Ishtar solemnly set her full fortune telling paraphernalia on the table and shut off the lights. 

"Are you sure you're up for this?" asked Mistera. "That was a rather nasty blow you took earlier."

"I'm positive," the Devil girl said gravely. "Foncé's no ordinary Devil. Neither was that one in the park for that matter. Foncé's destined for big things, and I intend to be at her side one way or another! Now, let's see what I can learn about her…"

She placed a perfectly clear crystal ball on a pedestal surrounded by faded brown cards. The crystal suddenly lit up with a golden glow. The light reflected feverishly in her green eyes. "I want a piece of that action for myself! Now sit back and watch!"

Mistera pulled up a chair and watched as Ishtar stared intensely into the crystal orb. "See anything?"

"_Don't talk to me!_" Ishtar snapped. "I need to concentrate!"

Getting back to the crystal, Ishtar gazed deeply into its depths. Soon images began to swim into focus.

_A towering black snake with purple eyes swallowing the world…_

_A screaming longhaired woman wrapped in chains…_

_Ten solemn kings standing in a circle around a black throne…_

_A scowling one-eyed man with a bloody scalpel…_

_Foncé sprawled lifelessly on a stone floor, the black snake slowly swallowing her whole…_

_A huge purple eye watching everything on the planet…_

_An army of darkness surging from a hole in the sky, laying waste to everything…_

_A black tower rising from an icy wasteland…_

_A big pair of rust-colored eyes…_

_A blond boy spitting lightening…_

_The woman in chains again, her face now visible, revealing Désaxé…_

_The one-eyed man splattered in blood…_

_The sky turning dark…_

_A vampire boy glowing crimson…_

_A massive orb of green energy…_

_Foncé in chains…_

_A foot crushing a big melon… Fading, everything turning white…_

"…_tar? _Ishtar?"

Ishtar slumped back, breathless and drained. "I still can't see it clearly," she gasped. "I can't interpret these visions all on by own. I need Foncé's help."

Mistera turned the lights on. "Will you be alright?" she asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine. Some of the visions were a little heavy, but I'll get to the bottom of this. Just you wait."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: An even shorter chapter. Yay. I have few ideas right now, so I'm just stalling for time. In fact, this chapter was originally going to be called "This Chapter is Just Filler". No, really, it was. _

_You know, I'd be writing that Halloween story right now if I could just get an idea on what to write. Wait! I know! It'll be an anthology of horror stories! I win at life yet again! Seriously, the idea litterally just came to me as I was writing these notes. _

_Well, that's enough out of me for now. I hope you enjoyed this very, very short chapter because I don't know what I'm going to write about next yet._


	23. Level 23: Zorcu

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500.

* * *

**Level 23: ゾルク**

**Level 23: Zorcu**

_I'm now more convinced than ever that Foncé's destined for something important. My latest visions are maddeningly vague, but clearly much has or will happen to the funny little girl. I can't claim to understand them all—or even a few of them—but I rarely do at first. Most must be metaphorical, like Foncé getting eaten by a big snake and the giant purple eye. It seems that Désaxé has something to do with her, and she suffered some kind of torture. Those visions seemed to come straight from the past. I wonder who the one-eyed man is? He looked scary._

_Foncé. Ever since I touched her hand that first evening I just can't get her out of my mind. It's strange—I've never felt that way before about someone. There's something about Foncé that draws me to her like a magnet. I don't know whether it's Foncé herself or some hidden quality of hers. All that matters is that I find her irresistible. I know understand what I saw in the crystal before coming to this island nation. It is fate that I follow Foncé. I don't mind; we may clamor for independence, but our hearts desire subservience to superior forces, to the chosen few. It's just spiritually satisfying that way. I'm glad that I'm destined to follow someone so enthralling._

_You know, I think long hair would good on her. Her current look is cute, but it's just childish. I know, she is a child, but she's far, far beyond her years. I hope she drops the cutesy short hair with ribbons look someday. Maybe I can advise her on her appearance in the future. There's so many other things I wish to talk to her about too._

_Currently Foncé and her partner are arranging to travel to a place called Auseuil to investigate something. I think I'll do my own little investigation in a moment…_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

**Paris, France**

Daniel Squalor was exhausted from all of the traveling he had been doing lately with Imité. He was ready to get into his hotel bed when his cellular phone suddenly rang. He had no idea who would be calling him, particularly at this time of night. He answered the call with an annoyed, "What do you want?"

"_Imité,_" a low female voice on the other end rasped.

"What?"

"_Get me Imité!_" the caller screamed. The demand was so forceful that Squalor almost dropped the mobile phone in shock. Whoever was called, she sounded vicious.

"Okay, okay," Squalor replied. "I'll go get him."

A demented-sounded giggle was the only response.

The earl left his room and went to the room Princesa and Aoi were staying in. The last he had seen of Imité he was discussing his family's history with the other Devil in her room. Squalor was sure they were still talking.

He knocked on the door. "Imité!" he called. "I have a call for you!"

Aoi answered the door for him. She gave him a glare and said, "Don't yell in the hotel, gramps! They'll kick you out for sure!"

"Out of the way!" he snarled, shoving past her. He found Imité and Princesa sitting at a small table. Imité looked irritated.

"What's the matter?" the Devil boy sneered. "Can't sleep without me?"

"You have a phone call, you little poof!" Squalor snapped back. "Although for the life of me I can't figure out _why_ anyone would want to talk with you." He placed the cellular down on the table.

Imité picked the phone up, and twirled it dramatically before putting it to his ear. "Hello, hello," Imité said coquettishly.

"_The illusive sister will be arriving soon._"

"Huh? Run that by me again?"

"_The Charles de Gaulle International Airport. Sunday. 9:31 A.M. The illusive sister will be there._"

Imité suddenly sat up straight. "Who is this?" he asked, his voice now serious. The caller replied with a peal of deranged laughter. "Answer me!" he demanded.

"_I know you,_" voice hissed. "_But you don't know me!_"

The line then went dead.

* * *

**Mochinoki, Japan**

Foncé and Ken were taking a walk by the riverbed. The sun was setting, but Foncé still carried an umbrella to shield herself from the sun's rays.

"It's a good thing we met them," said Foncé. "With Miss Cellini's fortune on our side we don't have to worry about funding for a good, long while. I was beginning to worry that we would have to go back to crime for financial support."

"You know," Ken said as he glazed at the calm waters of the river, "I kind of enjoyed using your magic to blow holes into bank vaults. It was risky, but I had fun."

Foncé abruptly stopped walking and looked around.

"What is it?" asked Ken. He produced her book. "Is it a Devil?"

"A Diabolic presence, yes," she answered. "A Creature of the Night, no less." She pointed ahead. In the distance two figures were standing by the riverbed. "There!"

She walked forward at a faster pace. Ken followed, hiding the book under his coat. They didn't want to give themselves away to the Devil too soon. Running would look suspicious, and might tip them off.

Up close they saw the figures were a small boy and a young girl. The boy had a purple hooded jacket and gray trousers. His skin and hair were pale. On his forehead was a blood-red jewel. The girl wore a pale red dress with a gray sweater. She was Caucasian, and had brown hair. In her right hand was a copper-colored book. Both of them were looking out across at the river.

"Are you here to fight?" the boy asked without turning around.

This answer was something of a surprise to Foncé. "We don't have to," she answered.

"I don't feel like fighting right now," said the boy, "especially not with a fellow Creature."

"I'm Jeeno," the girl said cheerfully, "and this is Zorcu. What're your names?"

"I'm Foncé Ying, and this is Ken," Foncé replied.

"Hey!" Ken protested. "_I_ wanted to fight! It's been a while since our last fight!"

"Ying?" asked Zorcu, ignoring Ken. "As in the Ying clan?" He turned around to look at Foncé. "I hear your family tends to be very powerful."

"I've been doing an alright job, in my opinion."

"It must be nice…being so powerful."

A dark look passed over Zorcu's face. "If all of us Creatures were that powerful, we could take revenge on all our oppressors."

"You hate the other Devils?" Ken asked, now interested.

"I want power," Zorcu seethed. "Power to crush everyone who hates us Creatures of the Night!"

"Zorcu…" Jeeno whispered, looking uncomfortable.

Foncé and Ken gave each other a quick glance. They liked where this was going.

"We all just want some power in the end," Ken said.

"Many of us will do _anything_ for a little more power," said Foncé. "What would _you_ do?"

"What would I do?" Zorcu smiled darkly and held his hand out. "Jeeno. My book."

Jeeno looked alarmed. "What? Zorcu, I—"

"My book, Jeeno."

Jeeno reluctantly handed the copper book to the Devil boy. Zorcu then placed the book on the ground before Foncé. He got on his knees and bowed down. "I'll do whatever you want," he said. "Just help me grow stronger. Help me with my revenge."

"Hey, I like this guy!" Ken said. "I know exactly how you feel! Yeah, let's get those bastards together!"

Foncé smiled warmly. "We can help each other, Zorcu. Yes, we Creatures need to stay together if we're to have any justice."

Jeeno was shaking slightly. She didn't what was happening. She didn't like it at all. This Devil and her partner frightened her. _Zorcu, what have you gotten yourself into?_ she thought.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Okay, I think I know what I want to do for the rest of the story. Things are about to take a _horrific_ turn soon..._


	24. Level 24: Imité and Princesa

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500.

* * *

**Level 24: イミテとプリンセサ**

**Level 24: Imité and Princesa**

_Foncé and Ken recruited another Devil to her little group, a vampire named Zorcu. I haven't seen any of his powers yet, and he doesn't seem to want to talk to me, but I'm certain he's the vampire I saw in my visions earlier. We convinced Mistera to pay for some extra plane tickets, although she wasn't all that happy about it. More because it was short notice than any actual cost. My partner is quite wealthy, and money is no object for us._

_So what did I discover about this Auseuil? Not much really. I tried to project my mind there, but a powerful force covered the town in darkness. I couldn't penetrate the spiritual haze at all. Something very powerful is there, and I think Foncé is going to get more than she bargained for when we get there…_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

A plane trip from Mochinoki, Japan to Paris, France is not an especially comfortable event to sit through. Travel by plane may be faster than travel by ship, but it's still very long, and you can't move around very much. There was little for the group to do but talk to one another, read, or watch in-flight movies. Mistera and Jeeno had been on long plane trips before, but by the time they reached the Charles de Gaulle International Airport, Ken never wanted to see another airplane again for as long as he lived. 

"Finally!" Ken exclaimed as he skipped through terminal 2F. "I though that plane would never land! I swear, we travel by luxury cruse next time!"

"So this is France," Foncé murmured as she slowly took in her surroundings. "Except for the language, it doesn't feel too different from Japan."

"I think you'll like it here," Mistera said smiled. "I really love France, especially Paris. What about you, Jeeno?"

Jeeno glanced around somewhat nervously. "I don't come by Paris often. I live out in the country," she said.

"I've always wanted to see Paris!" Ishtar gushed. "Mistera told me all sorts of wonderful stories about interesting European cities."

Zorcu stood at the edge of the group. Even if he felt like talking he wouldn't do it. He at least trusted Foncé for being a fellow Creature of the Night, but he was still wary of Ishtar. It wasn't just that she wasn't a Creature of the Night; Ishtar was just plain weird to him.

A tingle suddenly crawled its way up Zorcu's spine. He went on alert, his eyes darting around the crowd. He felt the presence of unfamiliar Devils, one of them similar to Foncé.

_Where are they, where are they, where are—ah ha! _

Leaning against the wall was a slender young boy with long black hair and pale skin wearing tight black jeans and a black shirt. Then Zorcu noticed that the boy was holding a big sign with FONCÉ YING written on it in thick black letters.

"Yo, Foncé," Zorcu called out.

Foncé turned to the young vampire Devil. "Yes, Zorcu?" she asked.

Zorcu pointed his thumb toward the Devil boy at the wall. "Know that guy?" he asked.

Foncé followed Zorcu's thumb. She froze, her eyes wide with surprise, for a moment. Then she took off running.

Ken glanced over and saw Foncé running away into the crowd. "_Hey!_" he cried, panicked at the thought of her getting lost in the huge airport. "_Foncé! Foncé, come back!_" He charged after her.

"Where's everyone going?" asked Ishtar.

_It has to be him,_ Foncé thought as she ran to the boy with the sign with her name on it. _He somehow knew I was coming here!_

The boy noticed her, and dropped the sign to the side and opened his arms in greeting. "_Sœurette!_" he cried out.

"_Frangin!_" Foncé joyfully called back as she jumped into the boy's arms to embrace him tightly. The two were laughing and crying at once, saying "_sœurette_" and "_frangin_" to one another over and over again.

Ken and the others arrived on the scene. "Foncé?" asked Ken, confused.

The boy set Foncé down. She smiled to her partner. "Ken, everyone," she said, "this is Imité, my older brother."

* * *

After being joined by Imité's partner and another Devil team that had joined forces with Imité, everyone sat down at a restaurant to talk. 

"How did you know we were coming here?" asked Foncé.

"Someone called us over the telephone," Imité responded. "I couldn't recognize the caller, but whoever it was sounded quite deranged."

A dark look passed over Foncé's face. "Perhaps it was Désaxé."

"Who?" asked Imité.

"Désaxé. Apparently our long lost older sister."

"Long lost older sister?"

"It's a long story," Foncé said.

A tall, slim beauty with dusky and ebony hair skin, held her hand out to Foncé. "I'm honored to meet you, Foncé. Imité's told me so much about you. My name is Princesa. Have you been enjoying your stay in the World of Humans so far?"

"There are good things, and there are bad things," Foncé responded. "It is a joy to meet you too."

A thin girl with short orange hair grinned. In her lap was a royal purple Devil book. "Nice to meet you guys," she said. "You can call me Aoi."

Imité's partner, an older man with hawkish gargoyle-like features, grumbled something without looking at anyone.

"This is my partner, Lord Daniel Squalor," said Imité with a slight sneer, "the current earl of Bootle. But enough about him! Tell us why you're here."

"We're looking for a town called Auseuil," said Foncé. "That's where father met his partner in the last Battle. I read some of his writings about his time there, and it sounds like he did some research in Auseuil regarding our family. Whatever he discovered apparently frightened him though. I want to find out what he learned."

"Please pardon me for asking," Princesa said, "but do you mean to say that you will be looking for ancient secrets in this town?"

"Yes, basically."

Princesa's eyes gleamed. "I am an archeologist and a historian. I could be of some assistance to you on your journey, if you so wish."

"Really now?" said Foncé. "This just keeps getting better and better."

"This just keeps getting more expensive, you mean," Mistera said wryly.

"Why don't we get going?" Ishtar suggested. "We should start quickly. With a group this big, other Devils will think twice before taking us on, so we don't have to worry about that."

Foncé smiled, and said, "Yes, let's," unaware that they would soon be marching right into a Hell on Earth…

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: If you're reading this Kimura, I'm sorry about going back on my promise about Kage being in this chapter. I just couldn't fit a trip to Singapore into this chapter without making it feel forced and contrived. I'll get to that later._


	25. Level 25: Auseuil

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500. Ember Flame and Simba Hart are property of Flurry of Flames.

* * *

**Level 25: オスイユ**

**Level 25: Auseuil**

_Well, here we are, in Auseuil. I've got a bad feeling about this place, but I've kept my feelings to my self so far. Oh well; when's the next time I'll be able to stay in an ancient castle?_

_Before I go to bed, let's go over everyone again, journal._

_Foncé Ying: Dark Devil girl. She's our leader, I suppose. Very ambitious and power-hungry. Intelligent far beyond her years, and has a strong cruel streak. The reason we came to this weird place is because of her. _

_Ken Bak: Foncé's partner. Dark purple book. Formerly a student. Very smart, but paranoid and delusional. I think the power of his book is starting to drive him mad. A mad partner may actually aid Foncé._

_Zorcu: Vampire Devil boy. Doesn't talk much. Seems to distrust non-Creatures of the Night, so I can't get much out of him. Follows Foncé out of a desire for power._

_Jeanette "Jeeno" Chanel: Zorcu's partner. Copper book. She tries to act happy, but she really seems sad in her heart. Very close to Zorcu. I think she's scared of the rest of us._

_Imité Ying: Dark Devil boy. Foncé's older brother. Haughty and vain. He and Foncé are very close. His spells seem to be on the weak side even though they are mostly the same as Foncé's. Physically he can be quite powerful though._

_Daniel Squalor: Imité's partner. Persian blue book. The earl of some place called Bootle. Bad-tempered, greedy, and bitter. I think he resents us, but is too tantalized by fantasies of power and wealth to leave us._

_Princesa: Sand Devil girl. Highly intelligent and collected. A historian and archeologist. Seemingly more interested in the history of the World of Humans than in the Devil Battle. Very quiet and polite, but with an extremely morbid side. _

_Aoi: Princesa's partner. Royal purple book. Cheerful, but devious and greedy. Princesa informed me that Aoi isn't her real name, but she won't reveal what her real name is. She sure seems to enjoy having a Devil's book. _

_Ishtar: Just little old me! You already know my attributes and stuff, so there's no need to repeat all that here._

_Mistera Cellini: My partner! Old gold book! You know the rest._

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

After a hellishly long plane ride, Ken soon found himself on an almost hellishly long bus ride. He found that he was really beginning to hate travel. 

"Are you feeling alright?" Foncé asked.

"I can't feel my butt anymore," Ken responded flatly. "You know, there had _better_ be something in this dinky little village of yours. After all this trouble I'm almost tempted to just toss your book out the window."

Foncé chuckled. "If you value your well-being Ken, then you wouldn't say such things within earshot of Imité. He can be very dangerous if he thinks I'm being threatened."

"Huh?" Ken glanced over to where Imité was sitting. The Devil boy was glaring back murderously at him. Feeling chilled, Ken straightened up and averted his eyes. "I'll shut up now," he murmured quietly.

Foncé smiled. "A wise choice, friend."

* * *

Jeeno peered through the window at the passing green fields and hills. It reminded her of her rural home and her family. It reminded her of her cousin, Coco, too. It made her feel sad to think that she was back in France yet she couldn't go see them. The overcast sky outside seemed to reflect her feelings. 

She leaned to Zorcu and took him in her arms, placing her head against his. Even though he was a vampire he felt comforting to hold, and her spirit brightened a little. Whatever happened, she still had Zorcu at least.

* * *

Aoi eyed the Italian woman, Cellini closely. Her eyes poured over her fine red dress, her gold ear rings, her up scale leather purse. Aoi leered lustfully at Mistera, but not with the lust men usually felt looking at her. No, Aoi had no interest in women—her lust was for money, and the Cellini woman looked _loaded_. 

_To be able to afford such nice, fancy things,_ Aoi thought. _She probably doesn't even know what to do with all that money. Such a shame you're not a rich old man—I'd have you forking all that sweet, sweet money over cute little me in no time at all!_

"It is rude to stare, do you not know that?" Princesa slyly whispered.

"I can't help it!" Aoi hissed back. "Such public displays of wealth catch my eye!"

"She is to be our ally. You would not rob an ally, would you?"

"I've done it before! I can do it again!"

Princesa turned back to the book she was reading. "I have such a treacherous human, do I not?"

Aoi smiled greedily. "You have no idea."

* * *

Hours later, the bus finally reached its destination. As the passengers disembarked they got their first look at the mysterious village of Auseuil. What they saw was surprising, to say the least. 

"It's like we traveled back in time," said Aoi.

"Is there any electricity or running water here?" Mistera asked, terrified that the village might lack both.

"At least it's not Wales," Squalor wheezed crankily.

"And I thought I lived in a poor area," said Jeeno.

Ken glanced down at Foncé. "Well, here we are Foncé. A village that thinks it's still in the fucking middle ages."

The village was a collection of very old looking wood and stone buildings. Farmers passed back and forth, performing various farming tasks. In the distance, a castle could be seen up on a hill overlooking the village. Everything looked very old and in need of some repair.

"I'm getting back on the bus," Mistera said. "Come on Ishtar, let's get out—"

The bus abruptly sped off in a cloud of dust, leaving the group behind. There was a dark silence, and Foncé shifted uncomfortably.

"Well…" she said, "we still need to take a look around first. Don't judge the place too harshly yet."

Princesa smiled softly. "I find it rather charming myself. Does no one agree?"

Imité crossed his arms and said, "I guess it's worth a look. We came all this way; might as well do something about it."

Ishtar looked around. It didn't look threatening, but there was a faint but noticeable current of ominous power surrounding the village. It was foreboding, but like the feeling Foncé herself gave off, it was also enticing.

* * *

The group traveled further into Auseuil. The village was filled with strange, twisting roads that made travel a little disorienting. The local people didn't pay much attention to them even though they all stuck out like sore thumbs. The villages all wore plain drab clothing and looked serious. 

"Not very cheerful here, are they?" said Mistera.

_No one here looks rich,_ Aoi thought sadly. _Who am I going to sucker?_

"Charming, charming," Princesa cooed. "I do hope someone has kept historical records for the town. How I wish to see them!"

"Greetings, travelers!" a voice called out. The group turned to see a tall, thin old man in a black cassock and a white clerical collar standing by a stone fountain. He leaned on a long, sturdy-looking tree branch, and his gray hair was cut in a style commonly associated with monks from long ago.

"Welcome to our humble village! We don't get many visitors here," he said.

The group said "hello" back, except for Squalor, Mistera, and Zorcu.

"I'm Father Caïn," the man continued. "So, what brings you to Auseuil?"

"Oh, we're here because I believe an ancestor of mine had lived here a thousand years ago," said Foncé. She smiled and curtsied to Caïn. "My name is Foncé. Pleased to meet you."

"My, that's an interesting name you have," Caïn said smiling. "So, you think an ancestor of yours lived here in Auseuil a thousand years ago? Entire generations have lived and died here, so not many people tend to leave. What's your family name? I know a lot about the village, and what I don't know I can look up."

"It may sound strange, but my family name is Ying."

"Ying? Your ancestor couldn't have had that name. There are many Chinese immigrants in France, but not many around here, and certainly none back then. What was your ancestor's name?"

"He was called Sabré Ying."

Caïn put a hand to his chin in thought. "Very peculiar," he said. "Very peculiar indeed. I'll have to look this up, but I don't know if many records from that time still exist. A thousand years ago is a very long time, after all."

"I'd hate to interrupt," Imité broke in, "but what could you tell us about Auseuil itself? I mean things like hotels and restaurants. No disrespect—Sabré is my ancestor too—but we to be taken care off here."

"Yes," Mistera said curtly, a note of mild contempt in her voice. "What are the finest hotels and restaurants around here?"

"You're in luck!" said Caïn, and pointed to a large creaky looking building behind him. "The Auberge Seuil is a nice, cozy inn. It's not terribly fancy or anything, but it's a comfortable, down to Earth kind of place. It's good for both a warm breakfast and a stiff drink, depending on your needs."

Squalor smiled darkly. "My kind of place. I've been needing a drink for a while."

"I could go for one too," said Aoi. "Save some for me, gramps."

Mistera, appalled by the very look of the Auberge Seuil, took a step back. "That's the best this place has to offer?" she asked.

"I afraid the only better places I can think of are the mayor's home and the Château de Fouché," said Caïn. "You're welcome to go ask Mayor Périgord or Lord Fouché if you want, but I don't think they'll let just anyone sleep in their homes."

Foncé turned to look at the castle in the distance. "I take it that's the Château de Fouché?"

"Yes, it is young lady."

"I'm not sure, but I believe that is where my ancestor stayed."

"Really now? Well, this just keeps getting more and more interesting, doesn't it? Maybe I can convince Lord Fouché to let you look around the castle."

"Really? That would be wonderful. We would be very grateful."

"I can try. In the meantime, you can look around the village or stay at the Auberge Seuil. I can call the Auberge when I get an answer."

"I would love to explore Auseuil," said Princesa. "I am very interested in history, and your village must hold many historical secrets."

"That it does! Now wait while I go ask the lord if he's heard anything about this."

Caïn then wandered off in the direction of the Château de Fouché.

"Well," said Foncé, "it seems we may already have a lead."

"Even if we do not," Princesa added, "I find this extremely interesting business."

"Not me," said Squalor as he started walking to the Auberge. "I'm going to go get a drink."

"Wait for me," Aoi said, walking after him.

"I think we'll just stay at the Auberge too," said Jeeno, walking off with Zorcu.

"I've got nothing better to do," said Ken. "Why don't we all just stay there?"

Mistera grumbled, but Ishtar tugged on her partner's dress. "Please Mistera," she said. "I think this is important too."

"Okay, okay," the rich lady sighed.

* * *

It was about two hours before they got their answer from Caïn. 

"Lord Fouché's sending a car down to take you to the Château de Fouché," the priest said over a telephone. "He reacted to the name Sabré Ying, but he didn't tell me the significance of the name to me. He said he wishes to speak with you in private."

The next thirty minutes were very suspenseful for Foncé. She paced up and down outside the Auberge while talking excitedly with Imité.

"I hope this explains why I have a previously unheard of elder sister, _sœurette_," said Imité.

"Possibly, _frangin_," she replied. "I think this will be something even greater though."

"Like what?"

"I have no idea. Father mentioned something about _le Monde des Ténèbres_, but that's it."

"The World of Darkness? What does that mean?"

"I don't know. Father didn't elaborate in his notes. He just hinted at something powerful and that it has something to do with our family."

When the car finally came to pick them up, Foncé was still nervous and excited. _What will I learn?_ she asked herself. _Will this answer my questions, or have I hit a dead-end? Did father really leave anything behind, or will this all just up a colossal disappointment?_

* * *

Lord Pierre Fouché, the current castellan of Château de Fouché, was a strange looking little man. Dressed in his approximation of a French military uniform, he resembled a hideous caricature of Napoléon Bonaparte (who, in fact, was not all that short in reality). So when this creepy character came to greet Foncé's group, they were somewhat reluctant to come close to the man. 

"Welcome, welcome!" he laughed in a reedy, high-pitched voice. "So you are the ones interested in this 'Sabré Ying'!"

"Yes we are," said Foncé.

A butler led them inside the castle, which appeared to be in good condition. Princesa remained clam outwardly, but her eyes gave away her excitement.

They came to a sitting room. Plates with fine pastries and cups of tea were set up on little tables.

"Please, sit down and enjoy," said Fouché, indicating the plates and cups. "It's all for you, friends."

The group eagerly sat down to eat and drink, all except for Foncé, Imité, and Ishtar. "So what does the name Sabré Ying mean to you?" asked Imité.

"Getting right down to business, eh?" laughed Fouché. "Well, if you're not hungry we can discuss this matter…in private. Now, how here claims to be ancestors of Sabré?"

Foncé and Imité raised their hands.

"Ah, then please, follow me to my private study."

The Ying siblings did so, taking a look back to see that their books were secure first. Walking through the castle some more, they came at last to Fouché's study. The two siblings found chairs to sit on, and Fouché sat behind a desk that seemed too large for him.

"So, Father Caïn tells me that you two claim to be descended from someone named Sabré Ying," the castellan stated.

"That is correct," said Foncé.

Fouché donned a pair of small reading glasses and examined some yellowed papers on his desk. "And you came to this puny village because you heard he once lived here."

"Right," said Imité. "Can we get to the point now?"

Fouché's eyes glittered behind his glasses. "The point is that there is a closely guarded legend within my family about my ancestor, Lord Griffon. According to the legend, Griffon possessed a magical book that allowed him to command the power of a black sword-wielding spirit named Sabré In."

"Yes!" said Foncé. "That matches our description of him!"

Fouché looked up from his papers. "Are you trying to tell me that you're spirits also? As I said, the legend was closely guarded—I don't know how it could have been leaked to outsiders."

Imité sneered. "I suppose we'll let you in on the whole story, _human_. Sabré Ying is a Devil from the World of Devils, and we're his children. Every one thousand years one hundred Devil children are sent to the World of Humans to compete in a battle to determine the next ruler of the World of Devils. In order to use their powers in this world, the Devils must find a destined human partner to read their spell books. Your ancestor was one of the chosen humans lucky enough to have received the power of a Devil. We're looking to rediscover a secret he may have left behind here."

Fouché fell silent, looking from Imité to Foncé to Imité again. "So…the legends are all true then?"

"Did I stutter, little man?"

"Wait, I haven't recounted the entire legend yet! Something about the dead rising from their graves, the sky turning black, and strange monsters appearing in the night. What about that?"

"Rival Devils most likely," said Foncé. "We have a great variety of magical powers. Some of us can even raise the dead to fight on our behalf."

"Can you?"

"No," said Imité. "Our powers come from harnessing the darkness, not necromancy."

Fouché slumped back, seemingly a bit overwhelmed. "Well," he finally said, "I suppose you can stay here, for a little while at least. I will wish to see proof of your powers in the future, but right now I am tired. I will have my servants prepare rooms for you."

"Good choice," said Imité as he walked out.

"Thank you for listening," said Foncé as she followed, "Lord Fouché."

* * *

Later that night, everyone had been given a room to sleep in (much to Mistera's relief). They all gratefully settled down to rest. 

Not everyone's rest was peaceful though.

Imité was bothered all night by dreams of being endlessly tormented by two Devils he had encountered earlier named Ember and Simba. No matter how hard he tried to kill them, they just came back to trip him again or eat more of his food in a never-ending cycle of horror.

Foncé's dreams were filled with hideous, unnamable things that she couldn't possibly describe. She thrashed about in her bed, gasping and crying in her sleep. Her hands gripped the sheets as her heart raced.

Below the Château de Fouché, beneath the abandoned chapel, beneath the old catacombs, down in a system of ancient caves no one had entered for a thousand years, something very old and malevolent stirred in the darkness.

_Returned…She has returned…_

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Happy Halloween everybody!_


	26. Level 26: The Chamber of Secrets

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500.

* * *

**Level 26: 秘密の部屋**

**Level 26: The Chamber of Secrets**

_How could this have happened? So horrible! What are we going to do?_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

Ken was surprised; Foncé usually didn't take this long to get up. Maybe jet lag had gotten to her, but she had seemed so excited about possibly learning something that he thought she would get up earlier than everyone else. After sitting at the table for an hour, watching her breakfast growing cold, he decided to do something about it. 

"Excuse me," he said to everyone at the table. "I just want to check on Foncé."

Leaving the dining hall, Ken made his way back to the guest room Foncé was staying at. He knocked on the wooden door. "Foncé?" he called. "Are you awake?"

No reply.

Ken knocked harder. "Foncé? Foncé?"

Still no reply.

"Foncé, I'm coming in there," Ken said. He turned the doorknob and slowly opened the door. What he saw made him gasp.

The sheets on Foncé's bed had been ripped off and flung to the floor and the window was wide-open, cold damp morning air blowing through.

Terror seized Ken's heart. He raced to the open window to stuck his head through. Thankfully they were on the ground floor. "Foncé!" Ken called, even though all he could see were the flowing green grass that covered the hill Château de Fouché rested upon. He looked down, and noticed a footprint in a patch of soil. An _inhuman_ footprint with what looked to Ken like clawed toes. His eyes followed the footprint to a patch of flattened grass.

Grass undoubtedly flattened by a clawed foot.

_I'm so fucked,_ thought Ken.

* * *

The group stared blankly at Ken. He waited in uncomfortable silence for their answer. 

"So," Imité finally said, "you think a big monster came in last night and kidnapped Foncé."

"Yes," said Ken. "Basically."

"Another Devil, perhaps," suggested Jeeno.

"But why would a Devil kidnap her instead of just looking for her book?" asked Zorcu.

"A Devil who does not wish to be discovered would not want to create much of a commotion," Princesa stated. "It would have trouble locating the book of Foncé. It does not need to burn the book anyway. It could just pummel Foncé until she dies. Then her pretty scarlet corpse will be sent back to the World of Devils. If I am to be sent back, I hope very much that her blood is wiped off the returning point when I get there."

"Don't say such things!" Jeeno cried, horrified that anyone could say anything like that so casually. Sure, she didn't like Foncé, but that was just too horrible for her to think about.

"If that happened then Foncé's book would've combusted on its own," Imité pointed out.

"And her book's okay," said Ken, holding it up for everyone to see.

"So whatever happened, we can still help her!"

"But _what_ happened exactly?" asked Ishtar.

"Aren't _you_ the psychic?" Ken retorted.

Imité stood up. "People! People! I want to find Foncé more than anyone, but if we blindly charge out looking for her without thinking we'll just waste more time."

"Perhaps we should be looking at the footprints?" Princesa suggested.

"Yeah, we can just follow the footprints!" Imité agreed.

* * *

Following the trail, the group came to an abandoned stone church-like structure. "This is the old chapel," said Fouché. "It was closed down before I was even born. I heard it has a big catacomb, and it was supposedly built over a pre-Christian temple to some local pagan religion." 

"Very interesting," said Princesa as she examined the doorway. "How I wish I could study this more closely. Alas, I am drawn mostly to the signs that someone slammed this door open not too long ago!" She opened the door, revealing a dark space. "How charming," she uttered cheerfully.

Aoi took a step back. "No way!" she said trembling. "I'm not gonna go in there!"

"That would be wise," Fouché said. "Something might collapse if you go in."

"_Bah!_" Zorcu spat. "It's just a little darkness! It can't hurt you!"

"Easy for you to say," said Mistera. "What you can't see _can_ hurt you."

"Well _I'm_ going in," said Ken as he stepped into the darkness. "I'm getting Foncé back."

"We're going too!" Imité said.

"What do you mean 'we'?" Squalor snapped. "I'm not setting one foot in that place."

"I'm going too," said Ishtar. "Foncé's destiny must be fulfilled. It can't end like this!"

"She can't die or go back yet," said Zorcu. "Not when I've found someone with even remotely similar views to mine."

"I just want to look at the chapel and see if we can find the old temple," said Princesa. "But perhaps looking for Foncé will be interesting. Who knows? If we are most fortunate we will witness her being sacrificed in an ancient rite never seen before by outsiders."

"I'd pound your pretty face if I knew Foncé herself might find that funny," said Imité.

"Really? Then I would most like to see her again. We have not yet talked at length."

"Hey! We didn't agree we'd go down there!" Aoi snapped.

"Right!" Squalor agreed. "Who said we'd go down there and help?"

Mistera sighed. "I believe in your visions, Ishtar. If you say Foncé has a special future then I believe you. I guess I'm in."

"It's scary," said Jeeno, "but I feel safe with Zorcu at my side."

"Yay for you," Aoi said sarcastically.

"There is always the chance of finding ancient treasures," Princesa cooed.

"Treasure?" Aoi's eyes lit up. "You think there's a treasure down there?"

"Not in the chapel," said Fouché. "But maybe below. I don't know. I've been too frightened to check."

Squalor and Aoi looked shared a brief, greedy gaze then turned to the dark entrance. "We'll do anything…"

"…for treasure!"

Ishtar smiled. "Wonderful! Now let's rescue Foncé!"

The group filed into the door to the unknown. "Be careful!" Fouché called after them.

* * *

Foncé shivered in the darkness. Being a dark Devil, she was somewhat able to see through the gloom. From what she could tell, she was in some kind underground cave. Some crudely carved sculptures littered the area. She could see what looked to be a sacrificial altar nearby. As for her captor, he had gone out of sight, but she could still hear him, somewhere close. His clawed feet made little clicking noises on the stone floor as he paced around unseen. 

"How is it?" came his smooth voice. "How is it that I feel her in a whelp like you? Her presence is faint, but it was enough to bring me out of dormancy, to break the enchantment trapping me in this cave." He spoke in an unfamiliar language, yet his words were clearly understandable in Foncé's head. It was strange, but not unheard of—there were Devils that could not speak clearly, but their partners could understand them regardless.

"Please, tell me who you're talking about," Foncé asked as calmly as she could. The beast hadn't harmed her yet, but she was afraid that she might offend him somehow. True, he actually seemed quite civilized, but she wasn't taking any chances. She felt truly vulnerable for the first time in her life down there in the darkness. In a way, it was worse that when Désaxé was threatening to hurt her—at least Ken had been there for her, holding her book. She was totally, completely helpless now.

He gave what sounded to Foncé like a frustrated sigh. "I just don't understand it," he said. "How is it that the great Serpenté could return to me in a form like this? She swore that she would live for all eternity, so why would she come back as a little girl?"

"Serpenté?" asked Foncé.

"What a disappointment," he sighed. "Just like a thousand years ago. I was sure that you had returned, but I could only find a descendent of yours named Sabré."

"Sabré! That's my father's name!"

"Your _father_?" the creature asked. "Impossible! He was descended from _you_, not the other way around!"

"I don't know who this Serpenté is!" Foncé insisted. "Please, sir, explain to me what this is about!"

Powerful leathery wings brushed past her and Foncé shivered at their touch. "_You_ are Serpenté! Of that I am sure of. But something happened to you and you don't remember who you are and you have a child's body now."

Foncé wracked her brains for something else to say that was relevant. Suddenly, she had an idea. "You say you knew my fa—Sabré. This means you were around for the last Devil Battle."

"Correct."

"How close were you?"

"I assisted him in his research."

_Jackpot!_ thought Foncé with growing excitement.

"And what was he researching exactly?"

"The World of Darkness."

"What did he want to know about the World of Darkness?"

"He and his lover were searching on a way to easily influence the World of Darkness' inhabitants and to exploit the powers of darkness to strengthen themselves. Much like you were when I met you."

"His lover?" Foncé frowned. She thought her mother didn't participate in the last Devil Battle. "Was her name Reina Madre?"

"No, it was his partner, Griffon."

"Is that so?" Foncé replied, a little surprised. Stodgy old papa, a swinging dandy like Imité? What she wouldn't give to see _that._

"Poor man, that Griffon. He got sealed away down here too. Over there."

Foncé glanced over and saw a figure dressed in an ancient suit of armor manacled to a wall. The figure had long white hair and was slumped over, so she could not see its face. She doubted that it could have much left for a face by now though. It was a macabre image, but Foncé found it quite beautiful herself. She wished that her older sister Gentilé were there to paint a picture of the body.

"He isn't really dead," her captor spoke, startling her. "Merely dormant, like I was until your presence roused me. He doesn't know you though; he would have little to say to you now."

Just when Foncé was trying to think of something else to ask, he said, "Someone's coming. I don't think they know where we are, but they're close to the temple."

_Ken!_ thought Foncé. _He and the others must be looking for me!_

"I should have taken your partner too," he said. "I wasn't thinking straight when I brought just you. I shall bring him down here."

Her captor moved swiftly to the wall and examined it.

"You're leaving me?" asked Foncé.

"No; you're not well and I must take care of you until you remember. If I left myself then you might run away. So I'll send someone to escort your partner down here."

He placed his hand on the wall, and eerie green lines of light exploded from his fingers and raced up along the wall's surface in jagged lines. The lines surged up into the catacombs above, wriggling their way into the dusty old bones of long dead monks. Then everything was still again…for a few seconds at least.

A skeleton twitched, wiggled, and sat up, dust falling from its bones. Dark magic connected at the joints, keeping the long dead thing together. Other skeletons rose up, dozens, hundreds. They stood, mindless and at the ready for instructions.

_Bring anyone who has entered the catacombs down to me,_ the captor's voice said telepathically. _Do not leave the catacombs directly. _

Given purpose, the skeleton army marched off.

* * *

Armed with flashlights, the group peered through the gloom. Footprints stood out on the dusty floor. 

"This guy sure is easy to track," said Imité.

"Let's hope he's not so powerful that he doesn't care if anyone finds him," Ishtar remarked.

Princesa followed the tracks to a large hole in the floor. Pointing her flashlight down, she saw stairs leading to an even darker area. "It looks like we just go down these stairs, yes?"

"I'll go first," said Imité as he moved down the steps. "I can see well in the dark."

"So can I," said Zorcu, following him.

"We need to get organized," said Ishtar. "Humans, get behind your Devils. We can take more punishment than you can, and we need you intact to read our books."

"More importantly," Squalor grumbled, "you won't accidentally shoot me if something attacks us."

"I'll get behind you guys," Ken said. "I need extra protection. If we rescue Foncé but something happens to me then she'll be helpless."

Everyone bunched into a tight circle, resembling some bizarre variation on the ancient phalanx battle formation. They briefly broke formation to get down the stairs, and regrouped when they reached the bottom.

"This place is surprisingly roomy," Imité remarked. "Wait, isn't this supposed to be a catacomb?"

"Yeah," Ken said back. "Why?"

"I don't see any bones here."

"Maybe they disintegrated," Aoi suggested. "Now can we _please_ hurry up? I don't want to spend another minute down here!"

"Quiet!" Zorcu snapped. "I thought I heard something!"

Everyone fell quiet. A strange clacking noise could be heard.

"What the duce?" Squalor pointed his flashlight straight ahead, just in time to illuminate a grinning skeleton as it appeared in a doorway. It turned its skull toward them and began to advance, its joints creaking with every step.

A nameless terror fell over the humans, freezing them in place. It is one thing to encounter strange monsters and Devils—it is another thing to be confronted by the living dead. Humans have, and will always have, a superstitious fear of the dead. But even worse is to face an enemy that can't be killed because it is already dead.

"Holy shit," Mistera whispered.

"Read a spell any time you like guys," Imité said sarcastically.

"_Kalightsu!_" cried Jeeno. The jewel on Zorcu's forehead glowed brightly and released a thin red beam of light. The beam lanced through the air and pierced through the skeleton's left shoulder, causing its arm to fall off. Still, it advanced without even slowing down.

"It is nothing but brittle bones," said Princesa as she pointed her hands at the skeleton. "Destroy it with blunt trauma and it will no longer move. Aoi?"

"_No,_" the frightened girl squeaked, shaking her head from side to side as if trying to wake up from a nightmare. "_No._"

"Aoi, please read my book," Princesa said calmly but firmly.

"_De-Desru!_" she managed to cry. Princesa produced a tight ball of sand and hurled it into the skeleton's midsection. The impact exploded and the entire ribcage and lower spine were pulverized. The thing collapsed in a sandy heap.

"See?" said Princesa. "Easily destroyed with blunt force."

"I can manage that pretty well," Imité smirked. He stepped away from the group and brought his heel down on the skull, crushing it into dust. "Well that was easy. There shouldn't be more—_yaaaah!_"

With his back to the doorway, Imité didn't see the skeletal hands reach out to grab him. They grasped at his flowing hair and arms, trying to pull him further into the catacombs.

"Get off of me!" he yelled in disgust, forcefully yanking his arm back. This action tore off several hands that were still clinging to him. Imité stumbled forward, dragging some more skeletons out into the open. Laying flat on the floor, Imité shouted, "_Hit them! Now!_"

Zorcu put his hands forward. "Jeeno, use the fourth spell!"

"_Thaoson Kalightsu!_" Multiple beams of red light rushed forward, shredding the skeletons. They fell to pieces on top of Imité, showering him in bone dust.

"Oh, nasty!" he cried as he stood up and shook the dust from his hair and clothes. "Come on, let's find her and get out of here!"

"Wait!" said Ishtar. She opened her cloak, and pulled a leather bag out from some inner compartment. She opened the bag and produced a battered deck of brown cards.

"This isn't the time for tarot readings!" Ken snapped.

"I know that!" Ishtar replied as she quickly flipped through her cards. "My regular spells won't be much help, so I'm bringing in some reinforcements! Ah, here we are…"

She pulled one card out and put the rest back into her robe. "Mistera!"

"Got you!" The old gold book powered up with a throbbing sound, and Mistera called out, "_Summon!_"

The card Ishtar held glowed with a golden light, and she tossed it to the floor. "I call upon you, Machine Golem! Heed your mistress' command!"

The card shined brightly, and expanded, taking on a round shape. Stumpy legs and thin arms sprouted from the main mass, followed by a round head. When the light cleared, a shining bronze android with large eyes stood there. It was squat and round and very sturdy looking.

"You can summon monsters to fight for you?" said Zorcu He was reminded somewhat of a Devil he fought earlier named Biblio, who could return Devils who had been sent back to the World of Devils back to the World of Humans.

"It's her special skill," Mistera responded.

"Machine Golem! Go ahead of us and smash any skeletons that attack you!" Ishtar commanded.

The mechanical man bowed stiffly to Ishtar and turned to go through the doorway. Almost immediately after it passed through, the group could hear the sound of bones being snapped and crushed.

"Come on, let's go!" said Ken.

The group followed Machine Golem. The next room was much larger than the last one, and an entire army of animate skeletons stood there. Many were swarming Machine Golem, but they couldn't find any purchase on its smooth, round form. Its metal fists tore through the brittle bones easily. Even so, it could not destroy every skeleton on its own, and a number of skeletons ignored Machine Golem in favor of Ken's group.

"Okay partners!" Imité called. "We need a lot of spells right now!"

Every book began powering up, and every Devil got ready to fire their spells.

"_Ganzu Anheiru!_"

"_Ganzu Desru!_"

"_Thaoson Kalightsu!_"

"_Ganzu Gou Carnoga!_"

Each Devil pointed in a different direction for their attacks. Flurries of razor-sided cards, red beams, sand projectiles, and blasts of darkness tore through the skeleton hoard.

Ken stood helplessly behind them. He hated the feeling of uselessness, and realized that he couldn't stand being without Foncé. He was addicted to her dark powers now, and felt incomplete without them. He now understood that he must never allow her book to her burned. If she left him he wasn't sure if he could go on living.

_Please be okay Foncé,_ he thought._ What can I do without you?_

Ishtar's Ganzu Gou Carnoga was very effective at cutting live targets to pieces, but the effect was considerably diminished against the skeletons. You can break a bone with sufficient force, but it is very difficult to cut clear through large bones. Ishtar was only able to take down a target by fully severing the spinal column, and most of the cards she threw just got stuck in the ribs.

"I need some help!" she called out. "Please?"

"We'll help!" said Jeeno. "Zorcu, get close to Ishtar!"

"Zorcu's fine where he is!" Imité called back. "His spells are stronger than both of ours, so it'd be overkill if he helped you! I'll help you!"

Imité stood over Ishtar while their partners called out both of their spells at once.

* * *

"I think I know what's going on here." 

Foncé looked over to her captor, beginning to feel worried. If he decided that she wasn't the one he was looking for after all he wouldn't have any reason to let her live any longer. "You do?" His cold claws suddenly pressed against her shoulders, and she nearly fainted out of fright. She didn't like where this was going.

"Don't be afraid," he said soothingly. "I'm going to try something. If I'm right about you then all will be okay for everyone. If I'm wrong about you…I'm sorry."

He suddenly clamped his fingers around her neck and squeezed. Foncé didn't even have time to cry out. Feeling the life being choked out of her, she tore at his fingers, but the hands seemed to be made out of steel. Spots began to flash before her eyes and she felt faint. Her own heartbeat roared in her ears. She felt something begin to thrash inside of her, like when Désaxé had her pinned down, but it was much more forceful now. She heard a strangled, angry scream from somewhere far away, and everything began to go black…

* * *

Machine Golem calmly trotted over the last skeleton and slammed its fists through it, shattering the living dead creature into dust. 

"Is everyone alright?" asked Jeeno.

"We're fine," Squalor said dismissively.

"I can still cast spells," said Aoi.

"So can I," said Mistera. "Can you two?"

"Yes," Jeeno and Squalor said at once.

"There's a hole up ahead," Imité said, pointing to the wall. Indeed, a large hole had been smashed through the other side of the wall.

"The pagan temple, I presume?" said Princesa. "We must be very close by now."

The group entered the hole and found themselves in a cave, walking down a gently sloping incline. The deeper they went the colder it got. It was very dark in there.

"Please tell me someone brought extra batteries," said Aoi.

"I did!" said Jeeno.

"So did I," said Ishtar.

"I would have brought some," Imité said, "but I keep forgetting that humans can't see in the dark like I do."

"Let's keep quiet," said Ken. "Foncé's kidnapper might hear us."

The group traveled in silence for a while. Then they came to a halt. They had entered a large chamber with some clearly man-made objects strewn about. But what stopped them was the figure their lights rested upon. Someone with a huge pair of bat-like wings stood there with its back to them. It slowly turned around to face them. It was a tall, slim boy with long, wavy black hair. He was nude save for some strange silver chains wrapped around his waist, wrists, and neck. His hands and feet were fearsomely clawed, and a pair of curving horns extended from his skull. A black, leathery tail flicked behind him. His handsome face was utterly expressionless, and he regarded them with yellow, slitted catlike eyes.

"So," he said softly, "you've arrived." He stepped aside, revealing a crude stone altar. Lying on the altar was the lifeless body of Foncé.

The blood drained from Ken's face when he saw Foncé lying still there. Her eyes stared open sightlessly. She didn't look alive.

_No…no…_

"_Foncé!_"

**_To be continued..._**


	27. Level 27: The Messiah

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu, Jeeno, Zero, and Arisha are property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Level 27: 救世主**

**Level 27: The Messiah**

_I understand it now! I understand my visions, her destiny, my destiny, all of our destinies! It's all so clear now! I eternally pledge my life to my messiah! My life for her! My life for her!_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

"_Foncé! FONCÉ!_" Ken cried, anguished. The dark purple book flashed an alarming bright color then settled down. 

"You must be her new partner," the winged boy stated. "I'm sorry for all of this, but it has to be done."

"_What did you do to my sister?!_" Imité demanded, his face turning livid with rage.

The boy turned to Foncé's lifeless form and stroked her hair softly. "I know what this looks like, but I don't truly mean her any harm. I'm just trying to bring my mistress back."

"So you sacrificed her to summon some demon to this world?" asked Princesa.

The boy shook his head. "You don't understand. I believe this girl _is_ my mistress."

* * *

_Am I dead?_ Foncé thought. She felt herself sinking into a thick, swirling darkness. She was all alone. _This is the end? I get strangled to death and become one of the few to actually die in the Devil Battle? Just when learn about what papa was doing here too. Why? Why me of all people? I was so smart, so ambitious, so elite, so…disserving of greatness. And for all of it to be taken away by things entirely out of my control. So not only will some populist fool probably become ruler, I'll never be able to see any of my loved ones again._

A deep sadness began to overtake her. _Ken, I really liked you. You were a splendid partner, and I…I loved you. I really did. Please find some way to live without me. Imité, we just reunited and now been taken away from me again. I love you, my frangin. I'll always be your sœurette. Ishtar, I was just beginning to see you as a friend, and you saw me as more than a friend. Zorcu, Princesa, we had just met and I barely got to know you. The same goes for your partners. Adieu, all of you._

Rage began to creep into her. _Why? Why did it have to be me of all people? I had a future! I was destined for greatness!_ _Take Zero, take Arisha, take Désaxé, take any useless, undeserving Devil! Just don't take me!_

_Oh, why am I even thinking this? I'm dead. There's no point in despairing now._

Foncé tried to remember interesting things that had happened to her. Things like playing with Imité, fooling Arisha into doing her bidding, reading interesting books, going to the Devil Academy, traveling to the World of Humans, meeting Ken, her first kiss, killing those humans who defied her, traveling through a desert—

_I've never kissed anyone, I don't have a large human following, I never traveled through a desert! What are these memories? Why do I remember things that never happened to me?_

_Oh, but they did happen to you._

Foncé was startled. A voice? In this place? _Who's there?_ She then realized that was no longer falling, but standing on something solid. She looked around, and saw that she was in a dark red room of some kind bare of furniture and windows.

_Let me see you, child,_ the voice said again, behind her this time. Foncé turned around, and found herself facing a nude adult woman. She was tall and slender, with ivory-white flesh and a full bosom. Her hair was a glossy black and flowed down to her feet in a straight cascade. Her face was angular and almost snakelike, with a wide, thin slash for a mouth and hungry, slitted purple snake eyes. By her black lips, purple eyes, and the lines defining the joints on her hands, Foncé knew that this woman was related to her. She looked somehow familiar…

_I dreamed of you once. You were younger, and you had an inhuman partner._

_So,_ said the woman, _you're my latest incarnation._

_Incarnation? You…You must be that Serpenté my kidnapper was talking about then._

_Correct, child._

_Then it's your fault I'm dead! It's your fault that I'll never see my loved ones again or achieve any of my dreams! I hate you! I HATE YOU!_

Serpenté merely smiled. _It's also my fault that you have such a developed mind at so early an age. It's my fault that you seemed to mentally mature so early. Basically, it's fault for nearly all of your aspects._

_What? What do you—_

_I am you, child. I am a number of your ancestors. Physically we were different people, but mentally we were all the same individual._

_I—I don't understand._

_My spirit, memories, and spells were passed from certain female members of the Ying clan for generations now. I was dormant, but I collected memories and spells of every incarnation. My personality influenced my incarnations, but none of them knew about me. They might occasionally receive a past incarnation's memories by mistake, but I was left to rest. Until now. Your near death has finally awakened me, and you will fulfill my dreams of domination and knowledge. _

_Your dreams?_

_All of your ambitions were originally mine. Now, do you want to live again or not?_ _You are not truly dead anyway._

_Live again?_ _Not truly dead?_ That sounded too good to be true. So it wasn't really the end for her after all? She could see Ken, Imité, everyone, again?

_Yes! Please, I want to live!_

_We all just want to live..._

Serpenté placed her hands on Foncé's shoulders and looked her straight in her eyes. _Now,_ she hissed, _to truly become one…_

She opened her mouth, revealing a long, forked tongue. She suddenly transformed into a gigantic black snake.

_…and I shall live once more!_

Foncé was strangely calm when Serpenté began to devour her.

* * *

The dark purple book suddenly exploded with purple light. Ken was so startled that he nearly dropped it. Everyone stared in shock as violet arcs of electricity emanated from the book. 

"What's happening?" Ken asked softly, frightened and amazed.

"Look!" Imité cried, pointing at Foncé. The same purple glow rose from her body, and she was twitching. Spasms ran through her, and her mouth and eyes opened and closed rapidly.

Then, abruptly, it stopped. The book went back to its normal state and Foncé stopped jerking about. Ken, heedless of any danger ran over to her. "Foncé!" he cried.

He grabbed her hand. Her eyes were closed now, and she seemed to be breathing. "Foncé? Foncé, it's me, Ken!"

Foncé's eyes snapped open, and Ken gasped in shock—her eyes were now snakelike crescents. She smiled at him and said, "Ken, I thought I lost you forever."

The boy came forward. "Mistress," he asked, "is that…really you?"

Foncé turned to the boy and smiled at him too. "Yadau. It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

Ken looked to Foncé. "Foncé? What's going on here?"

Foncé pushed herself up and sat on the edge of the altar. "I remember now Ken. I remember who I really am. I was once a scientist and noblewoman named Serpenté. I was chosen for a Devil Battle more than ten thousand years before, in a time before humans where used as Devil partners. Instead there was a race of creatures called the Xinshiqi. Serpenté was partnered with another scientist and noble, Fudimo. The two came to love each other over time, and they delved into research on the mysterious World of Darkness and its denizen, the An'uuto."

"Their experiments first brought me to the World of Humans," Yadau added.

"As they continued their research," Foncé continued, "they realized the vast potential the World of Darkness held if exploited. Increased power, loyal armies of controlled An'uuto, eternal life—all of these things seemed possible now, and both Serpenté and Fudimo were very ambitious. With the power of the World of Darkness they could rule all worlds eternally. It didn't turn out that way though. Nearly all of the remaining Devils banded together to defeat Serpenté, and they were eventually successful. However, Serpenté had succeeded in achieving an eternal life of sort. When she died, her spirit, driven by her desire for power and knowledge, refused to pass on. Instead it attached itself to her daughter, Morté, and was passed along from mother to daughter ever since. But Serpenté's spirit remained dormant, sleeping as she unconsciously absorbed the memories and spells of each new incarnation. But know she is awake, and her power is now my power. Ken! Open the book. What do you see?"

Ken did as instructed, and found that nearly every page glowed with new spells. Jaurro Anheiruga, Darkness Cascade, Gou Anshield, Anheiruku, Dino Anheiru, Baagasu Gunobion, Venojio…the spells went on and on endlessly. Ken felt dizzy, giddy just looking at it. The same rush of power he felt when he first learned about the Devil Battle came rushing back to him. "This is just…incredible."

"I'm glad you agree, Ken," said Foncé. "With all that power, I'm going to restart everything Serpenté and Fudimo did, and create an empire starting right here."

She smiled wickedly and spread her arms out. "Now, anyone who wishes to follow me, bow and say, '_Vive l'Empératrice de l'Obscurité_'."

Almost immediately, Imité dropped to the ground. "_Vive l'Empératrice de l'Obscurité_"

Her eyes sparkling, Ishtar reverently bowed low. "_Vive l'Empératrice de l'Obscurité_"

Zorcu grinned evilly, knowing he had found the right leader. "_Vive l'Empératrice de l'Obscurité_"

Princesa smiled and slowly got on her knees. "I suppose I have no choice in the matter, do I? _Vive l'Empératrice de l'Obscurité_"

"You know already that I'll always support you," Yadau said.

Foncé shot a look at the partners behind the Devils who had just devoted themselves to her, and they fell too, nervously pledging their loyalty too. Foncé drunk this in eagerly, relishing the feeling of power. _So, this is what it's like to be mistress undisputed, respected, saluted, and seen for the wonder I am. Now, what should I call my new empire? Ah, I know: L'Élite du Puvoir—the power elite. Yes, that will do well. That will do quite well indeed. I will be a messiah of the elitism and darkness._

Foncé threw her arms skyward, looked up, and began to laugh, and was joined in by Ken.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I'm not sure if I succeeded in writing this chapter in the best way or not, but it's all I could do here. Please tell me if you think I did well or not._


	28. Level 28: Griffon

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

_**

* * *

** _

I do not own Konjiki no Gash! Or Konjiki no Gash Bell! Or Zatch Bell! They belong to Makoto Raiku, Shuukan Shounen Sunday, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network.

_Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500._

**_

* * *

_**

**Level 28: グリフォン**

**Level 28: Griffon**

_How queer! It was like seeing someone come back from the dead._

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

Foncé brushed the limply hanging hair away from the icy white face. Beautiful. The image was so perfect frozen like that. The man looked dead, a perfectly preserved corpse. His skin and hair appeared to have lost all pigment down that lost cavern. How Foncé wished that sure were as good an artist as Gentilé—she would paint a masterpiece to preserve that moment. 

"You said my fa—Sabré's partner is still alive." Foncé frowned. She realized that the man she called her father was technically also her son, grandson, great grandson, and so on. Regaining her lost memories was going to make her family life much more complicated now.

"Griffon was cursed and sealed down here with me," said Yadau. "After Sabré's book was burned, Griffon was determined to wield dark power again. As I said before, he and Sabré were doing their own research on the World of Darkness. Griffon tried to go ahead on his own, but his enemies discovered his actions. His body and mind had been altered by exposure to dark energy, so he couldn't be killed by conventional means any more, so he was put into sleep so deep it's really a living death."

"I see," said Foncé as she ran her hand down Griffon's cold cheek. "Speaking of which, what were you doing down here in the first place? Something Sabré did?"

"Yes. I felt Sabré as he opened a hole to the World of Darkness and mistook him for you at first. Watching that Devil and human trying to uncover the secrets of my home, it…filled me with nostalgia for you and Fudimo. I offered my services to them, and they accepted. It was like old times again, but with much more primitive research conditions. But I ended up suffering the same fate as Griffon, in the end."

"Well it's good to see you again, and I thank you for returning me to what I once was. I need to ask you a question though: Would it be worth my time to revive Griffon?"

"He could be a powerful ally; he learned to command the power of the World of Darkness by himself. He doesn't need a book to cast spells."

"So humans can use magic by themselves?" asked Squalor. "Great! Sign me up!"

"Me too!" Aoi demanded. "I want this power too! Wake mummy man over there up so he can show us!"

"It's not that simple," said Yadau. "Griffon didn't just learn his dark powers; he had them given to him."

"Then who gave him his powers?" Aoi asked impatiently.

"A creature calling itself Muyau'uon," said Yadau. "He had immense dark power."

"Great! Let's find him!"

"That was a thousand years ago, people!" Imité pointed out.

"Would Griffon listen to me?" asked Foncé.

"He may," Yadau said, "when he learns you're related to Sabré, but he'd much rather have Sabré himself back."

"Sabré himself, eh?" Foncé turned to Imité. "Tell me Yadau, did Sabré look like Imité over there?"

Yadau walked over to Imité and peered closely at him. Squalor backed away, preferring to keep his distance from the nude An'uuto boy.

"The resemblance is fairly close," Yadau finally said.

"Where are you going with this?" asked Imité, a little uneasy.

Foncé walked over to Imité and took his hand. She tugged her brother over to the slumped form and pushed the white hair away from his face. "Isn't he handsome?" she asked.

"Yes," he agreed, "but I prefer people that are, you know, _alive._"

Foncé pointed her hand at the chains holding Griffon. "Ken."

The book glowed with Ken's energy. "_Anheiru!_"

Anheiru disintegrated the chains in a black explosion. With nothing supporting him, Griffon fell forward to the floor.

"Turn him on his back please," Foncé asked. Imité complied, and with surprising strength rolled the armored form over.

"So how do we wake him up?" asked Ishtar.

"Do we really _want_ to wake him up?" asked Mistera. "What if he's gone mad and tries to kill us?"

"Then we kill him first, simple as that," Zorcu said.

Yadau smiled. "I think you already have woke him up," he said.

"What?" asked Imité. He looked at the still form. Griffon's lips quivered and parted slightly. Then his eyes snapped open. Imité cried out in surprise and stepped back. "He really is alive!"

Griffon peered blearily around with pale blue eyes, eventually focusing on Imité. The Devil boy backed away, freaked out. "Why is he awake?"

"Your touch," said Yadau. "Your aura is similar to that of Sabré's. It's like how Serpenté's aura woke me up, but your aura is much weaker than hers so you had to physically touch Griffon to awaken him."

Griffon opened his mouth and slowly said, "_Sabré…_" He painfully began to move, slowly sitting up and looking at Imité with wide eyes. "_Sabré…_"

"Well?" said Foncé. "Say something to him."

"You got the wrong guy," he said, his hands out in front of him. "My name's Imité. Imité Ying."

Griffon stopped. He stared at Imité for a bit more, then glanced away.

Yadau stepped to Griffon. "Lord Griffon! We've been freed from our accursed sleep and may continue with our work!"

Griffon mumbled something that the others couldn't understand.

"That is Sabré's son I believe, Lord Griffon," Yadau replied.

Griffon said something unintelligible again.

"We were awakened by Serpenté Ying, an ancestor of Sabré's. She wishes for our assistance."

Mumbling again.

"Yes, it is a thousand years later. It is the next Devil Battle."

Foncé smiled and stepped forward. "Greetings, Lord Griffon," she said. "I am Serpenté Ying, but I am also known as Foncé. I understand that you were Sabré Ying's partner in the last Devil Battle. I am a relative of his. I too seek to better understand the World of Darkness. Please help me build my empire. You can continue your own research on the World of Darkness and if I become queen of the World of Devils I'll allow you to see Sabré again…unless you decide you like Imité more than Sabré. Then you could just stay with him."

Griffon stared at her blankly. Yadau then repeated everything Foncé said back to him. A small smile appeared on his face, and he said something in a primitive form of French that Foncé couldn't understand.

"He is interested," said Yadau. "Lord Griffon wants to see how this will play out, and he wishes to know how Sabré's been since returning to the World of Devils."

"So it's settled," said Foncé. "Let us go back to the surface. There is much work to be done."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: So a new adventure for Foncé and her friends is about to begin. It's going to be strange and long and different, but I think you'll like it, constant readers. So please read and review!_


	29. Level 29: Heart to Heart

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500._

* * *

**Level 29: しんみり**

**Level 29: Heart-to-Heart**

_So much excitement for one day. I wonder what will tomorrow bring? Oh wait; I can just look it up with my powers, but I'm tired now. It's just too much for me!_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

"Can we please go back up now?" asked Mistera. "I need a hot shower after this dungeon crawling." 

"_You_ people can go," said Squalor. "I don't want to be seen with that naked freak." He pointed at Yadau. "Seriously, put some clothes on for god's sake!"

"No, don't!" said Aoi with a lewd smile. "Now that I know you won't kill us, I'm going to sit back and enjoy the view."

The An'uuto boy looked at himself, as if realizing that he had no clothes for the first time. "Hmmm; this won't do," he mumbled. He snapped his clawed finger, and a deep red glow surrounded his body. A crimson plate mail armor then formed over him.

"Ah," he sighed, "that's better."

Aoi kicked a pebble on the floor. "Aw. I was just beginning to enjoy myself."

Zorcu tugged on Jeeno's sweater. "He's clothed now," he said. Jeeno, blushing, had been keeping her eyes averted from looking too closely at Yadau.

* * *

Griffon glanced around the castle's interior, bewildered. 

"So this is my ancestor?" asked Fouché, equally bewildered.

"Indeed he is," Foncé replied. "I thank you for your hospitality and cooperation, Lord Fouché. We've discovered what we were looking for. How may we repay you?"

"_Repay?_" Squalor whispered to Aoi, "Were this up to me, I'd mug him and run."

"_Shut up!_" she hissed back.

"And then I'd burn the entire village down," he continued. "Burn it down with the clean, pure flame. Oh it would go up so quickly, so _perfectly._ Why couldn't I have gotten a Devil that shoots fire? Oh why didn't I?"

Aoi mumbled something about scooting somewhere else and moved behind Princesa.

Imité kicked Squalor's foot. "Don't ever mention fire Devils in my presence again!"

"You're welcome to stay here for as long as you need," said Fouché. "For now I'd just like to learn from Griffon."

"Well, you can try," said Foncé. "He doesn't speak modern French. I'm not sure he even knows who you are yet."

"We have a translator though," Ken added. He looked around, and when he couldn't locate Yadau, he said, "Well, we _had_ a translator, but he seems to have run off somewhere."

"Well, tell me when you see him," said Fouché.

* * *

Dinner went by without any incident, and when it was over Jeeno and Zorcu went to the room Jeeno was staying in. Zorcu was glad for the food, but he needed more than just meat to survive. 

Jeeno sat on the cushy guest bed and lowered her head. She extended her neck, and she felt the sharp but quick sting of Zorcu's keen fangs pierce her flesh. She wasn't sure why it was, but she felt pleasantly relaxed when Zorcu drank her blood.

When Zorcu had his fill, he withdrew his fangs. He groaned and placed a hand to his stomach. His stomach tended to ache after feeding.

Jeeno put a hand to her lightly bleeding throat. She was lightheaded from the feeding. She laid down and sighed. "Zorcu?" she said.

"Yeah?"

Jeeno turned her head to him, a worried look on her face. "Zorcu, I—I'm scared. We're getting involved with some very bad people and I don't like it. Please, let's leave while we still can."

"_Leave?_ I swore an oath to Foncé. I'm not gonna leave now."

"But Zorcu! Can't you see that Foncé just wants power?"

"So do I."

"But it's not worth getting involved with her! This isn't right!"

"I promised myself that I'd become stronger. I have to avenge my people. I want _justice!_"

"But at what cost!"

Zorcu shot her a cold glare. "Cost. Most of us are too afraid to stand up for ourselves! They're won't be peace between us like Spirit said unless the so-called normal Devils are _made_ to understand our pain!

At least some of us understand what's right. Arisha holds on to Spirit's oath, but still she fights for our freedom because she understands how I feel."

Zorcu clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes into dangerous slits. "But why can't they _all_understand me! Why can't _you_ understand!"

Jeeno sat up, frightened. "Zorcu! That type of thinking doesn't solve anything!"

He pointed an accusing finger at Jeeno. "How do you know your cousin's okay?" Zorcu demanded. "How do you know she isn't a Devil partner as we speak? Or how do you know that she isn't being used by a Devil? What would you do about it?"

Zorcu got up and turned his back on her. "I'm outta here. I've got better things to do," he said as he opened the door to leave. The door slammed loudly behind him.

"Zorcu…" Jeeno whispered, staring at the door.

* * *

_She's just like the others,_ Zorcu thought with a sneer. _Why does she have to be weak? Can't she understand our pain?_

He wandered through the halls of Château de Fouché, his hands thrust into his pockets, his head lowered. He didn't know what he really wanted to do; he just had to get away from Jeeno.

He passed a large open picture window, and saw Foncé sitting in it, staring up into the night sky. Ken wasn't with her, and she looked…almost a little lonely. Zorcu realized that he even though he had stayed with her for a few days he had barely talked to her.

"Mind if I join you?" he asked.

"Go right ahead, Zorcu," she answered without looking at him.

Zorcu sat beside the dark Devil and looked out at the star-filled sky with her. It was pretty, he supposed, but not terribly interesting.

"Is something on your mind Zorcu?"

He turned to Foncé. "As a matter of fact, there is, Foncé. Serpenté. Whichever you prefer."

"Just call me Foncé. It what I went by when we met."

"Foncé. Okay.

"So I don't believe that we'll have peace with the other Devils. They need to pay for what they've done to us, and we can't let them hurt us anymore."

"I see."

"But hardly anyone agrees with me! They prattle on about Spirit's oath of peace, but they're really just too scared to fight! It drives me crazy!"

"I see."

Zorcu looked at her. "Surely you've experienced the hate they have for our kind. Even someone rich like you must've been treated like shit by other Devils, right?"

"Sometimes, such as when I attended the Devil academy, and a few times since coming to the World of Humans. My past incarnations also remember insults and hate."

"You don't seem too bothered by that."

"Not really. It always felt distant to me. I just told myself that I was superior to them and they were jealous of me. The politics of envy and all that."

"So…do you think there'll be peace between the Creatures and the other Devils?"

"I think so. It's certainly something I'll promote if I become queen of the World of Devils."

"And how will you promote this peace?"

"I'll reward tolerance and punish intolerance."

Zorcu looked away. "Well, at least you plan on doing something."

"It really doesn't matter to me if you are a Creature of the Night or not, Zorcu. I respect people based on individual ability and achievement. But I promise you, I will bring order and justice to the World of Devils, and if that means killing disagreeable Devils then so be it. And there will be many disagreeable Devils."

She smiled cruelly. "Fortunately, all of my incarnations find the killing of fools…enjoyable."

"Let me tell you," said Zorcu, "I stand beside you. You're the kind of leader I've been waiting for. You've got the drive, the smarts, the power, the vision, to turn things around."

"Thank you Zorcu. You have just the kind of ambition that I admire. I'm glad you chose to join me. You'll be a great asset when for formally form l'Élite du Pouvoir."

"L'Élite du Pouvoir?" Zorcu asked.

"That's going to be my organization," Foncé answered. "An alliance of powerful Devils. I'll eliminate other Devil teams swiftly if we work together."

"This is the 'empire' you spoke of earlier then?"

"Indeed it is."

Zorcu smiled darkly. "I'm glad I'm on your side."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I hope I'm staying true to Zorcu, Rahkshi. Please inform me if you think I'm not writing him correctly._


	30. Level 30: Je t’Aime, Ken

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 30: ジュ・テム, 賢**

**Level 30: Je t'Aime, Ken**

_Where did that Yadau guy go?_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

Foncé stepped up to Ken's door and gave it a quick knock. She heard footsteps, and the door open, revealing Ken. He looked worn out and very tired. 

"Hello Ken," said Foncé.

"Hi Foncé," Ken replied. "You caught me just as I was about to go to bed. Need something?"

Foncé looked up at him and smiled. "I just wanted to wish you a good night."

"Oh. Well…good night, I guess."

"Not even a good night kiss?" Foncé mock pouted. "I died today! I died and came back."

Ken smiled and bent down to the small girl. He pecked her softly on her cheek. "Good night, Foncé," he whispered.

"_Bonne nuit_, Ken. I thank you and everyone else for following Yadau to find me."

Ken withdrew back into his room and slowly closed the door. Foncé stood outside, just looking at the door. She smiled slightly, even as a small tear ran down her cheek.

"_Je t'aime, Ken._"

* * *

Foncé climbed into her bed and pulled the clean sheets and comforter over herself. She stared up at the ceiling without really seeing it. Every once in a while she would blink her strange new yet very familiar eyes. In the back of her head she heard her past incarnations whispering. She merely had to drift back into herself to access the thoughts and memories of her past selves. She literally had several lifetimes worth of information locked into her skull, now hers to go through as she wished. It was a strange feeling. Those memories once belonged to other people, yet they were all her, and she was once them. How long would it take to explore all the memories? She would recall anything that happened to her former incarnations, all the way back to Serpenté. It was unfortunate that Serpenté had skipped her father—she wished that she could communicate with Griffon. 

She rolled over on to her side. Griffon. The man her father—son, grandson, whatever he really was—apparently loved before meeting the woman he eventually married. If memory served her correctly, Sabré was sixteen when he entered the last Devil Battle. That meant there couldn't have been too much of a physical age difference between him and Griffon. It wouldn't have been terribly abnormal for them to have fallen in love.

But what of a seven-year-old girl with a roughly twelve thousand-year-old soul falling in love with a sixteen-year-old boy? It was simply impossible. No matter which way she looked at it, her body was simply too young. She had to wait to grow older, and by the time that happened Ken would be long gone.

Foncé was reminded of a conversation she had with Princesa while on the bus to Auseuil. The girl was cool and distant, so it was difficult for Foncé to get anything out of her. Finally she got the sand Devil to explain why she didn't talk very much.

_When I was very young, but not so young that I did not understand what was happening around me, a freak sandstorm took my family and home away from me forever. It was then that I realized that when all is said and done, we return to sand. It is inevitable—time destroys all and turns us into sand. I will be sand too one day. That is why I love the dead more than the living. It is especially important to think about this in the Devil Battle. You may not die, but you will most likely lose all your friends. That is why I cannot get close to anyone. Not you, not my partner, no one. It will only lead to pain if I do._

Foncé now wished she didn't get so close to Ken. She had fallen for him but she would never get to tell him how she really felt. It would just be too strange.

Retreating into her mind, Foncé found memories of her past loves. Feeling masochistic, she delved headlong into them.

* * *

After finishing her daily entry, Ishtar closed her journal for the night. She pulled her boots off and set them by the door. She followed this by removing her long gloves, the tall hat, and her robe. 

"Ah…" she sighed, and rubbed the large round ruby embedded on the back of her hand. She had five large rubies growing out of her body: two on the top of each foot, two on the back of both hands, and one on her forehead. Her fringes normally kept the ruby on her head hidden from view, and her gloves and boots had holes in them for the rubies on her hands and feet to stick out in a way that made people think they were a part of the gloves and boots.

She flopped onto her bed, wearing nothing but the tight purple one-piece outfit she wore under her robes. . It certainly had been an interesting day for her! She would have to consult the crystals later to see what would be going on in the future, but she knew that she was in for an interesting ride by pledging herself to Foncé. It made her feel good to know what it was that attracted her to the little girl in the first place, even if it took the allure of the mystery away.

_I'd better talk to her tomorrow—it would be interesting if she had any interesting stories with those new memories of hers._

* * *

Yadau smiled at the cold blue light, the sculpted ice, the frigid air. It had been a long time since he set foot in that place, and he was pleased to once more. 

He approached the slender obsidian tower before him slowly, reverently. "I have returned at last," he said, "Lord Muyauwamu."

_Yadau,_ the familiar voice said. _It's been a long time. What happened to you and Griffon?_

"We were placed into an enchanted sleep before we could finish our research. But that's not important now. Far more important is that _she_ has returned."

_She? But…you can't possibly mean—_

Yadau fell to his knees. "Oh, but I do. She is definitely back."

Muyauwamu fell silent, but Yadau could almost feel his turmoil from where he stood. It was a while before he Muyauwamu finally answered. _I must be sure. In a few days time I shall test her to be sure of everything. I will contact you when it is time, but don't speak of this to anyone save Griffon. This must be kept secret._

Yadau smiled and bowed. "Of course, my dark lord."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: It's just one thing after another, isn't it? The next few chapters are going to focus on character development before Muyau'uon does...whatever it is he's planing. Anyway, please read and review, as usual. This chapter didn't turn out the way I previously imagined it, but I'm pleased with the end result._

_Kimura, if you're reading this, I think I finally have a way for Foncé to meet Kage. Contact me if you want details._


	31. Level 31: Fire Nation

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 31: 火の帝国**

**Level 31: Fire Nation**

_This morning I gave Foncé some ideas on starting her empire. Princesa helped too. If we can pull this off we'll be invincible._

_I wonder if Foncé honestly liked my D.V.D.'s?_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

"Good morning, my mistress." 

Foncé looked to Ishtar with a strange little smile. "You don't need to call me that, Ishtar."

Ishtar smiled sunnily back at her. "But you don't mind too much, right?"

"I'm flattered, but I haven't merited such a title yet, I'm afraid."

The two were in the dinning hall, getting ready for breakfast. They got into their seats with everyone else and ate their fill for the morning.

"Is it me," said Squalor, "or did we pick up another hanger-on?"

He motioned to the far end of the table, where a handsome, hip looking teenager in a red shirt was eating quietly.

"I believe that is Yadau," said Princesa. "He looks to be in a human disguise this morning."

"He's pretty cute that way!" Aoi chimed in. "I wonder where he went last night?"

"Shopping, probably," said Mistera.

"Is there a television around here?" asked Squalor. "I might want to watch something."

Ishtar perked up. "Oh! Lord Fouché! Do you have a D.V.D. player?"

"Why yes I do," the lord answered. "Region 2 only of course."

Ishtar looked puzzled. "Region 2?"

"You can play your shows," Mistera answered.

Ishtar brightened. "Great! I can show everyone my D.V.D.!"

"What's your D.V.D.?" asked Foncé.

"You'll see!" came the reply. "I hope you'll like it!"

"We'll see," said Foncé.

Later she and Ishtar were in the entertainment room. Princesa joined them too, curious as to what humans entertainment was like. There was a large wall-mounted television and an excellent sound system.

Ishtar was going through a bag of her belongings. "When I was in Italy," she said as she rummaged though her things, "I saw a television program that I fell in love with, so Mistera bought me some D.V.D.'s of it. Ah, here we are!"

She pulled out a plastic D.V.D. box, removed the disk, set the box aside, and placed the disk into the D.V.D. player. Foncé picked up the box to see what they were watching.

"_Avatar: La Leggenda di Aang_."

"It's starting!" said Ishtar. _Avatar: La Leggenda di Aang_ turned out to be an animation. The opening established the plot very quickly, explaining how four nations in a mystical land lived in harmony until one called the Fire Nation sought to conquer the rest of the world. Only "the Avatar", a person who could control the elements of air, earth, water, and fire, could stop the Fire Nation, but he vanished for a hundred years. A hundred years later a girl named Katara and her brother, Sokka, discover the new Avatar, a boy named Aang. Then the title appeared. Foncé noted that written above the title in an archaic looking script was the sentence _Jiangshi Shenlian_, "The Avatar Who Descended to Earth".

"This is one of my favorite episodes!" said Ishtar. The episode in question was called "Il Ritorno a Omashu". It started with Aang, Katara, and Sokka coming to a city in the Earth Kingdom called Omashu. Omashu had recently fallen to the Fire Kingdom, and the group worried about its king, Bumi. They sneak into Omashu through the sewer system and fool some Fire Nation soldiers into thinking that they were natives of the city. The scene later switched to a regal sounding girl taking advice from an old woman on how to track her brother and uncle, and the girl decided that she would organize an elite team to help her.

"That's Azula," Ishtar whispered excitedly to Foncé. "Pay close attention to her!"

Soon after that the episode introduced Mai, the austere daughter of the new Fire Nation-appointed governor of Omashu, and Ty Lee, a bubbly circus acrobat. The two girls turn out to be the elite team Azula was referring to.

"These three are important!" Ishtar said.

Later on, Aang, Katara, and Sokka encounter an underground group of Earth Kingdom resistance fighters. The resistance fought hard against the occupying Fire Nation forces, but morale was getting low. King Bumi surrendered the day he heard the Fire Nation was moving against him. Many of the resistance forces just wanted to escape rather than fight.

"These resistance fighters are fools," Foncé snorted with contempt. "All they can understand is either fighting or retreating. Not a single one of them understands that in a situation such as this it would be wisest to pretend to surrender and wait for a good time to strike back. That daffy old king had the right idea by giving up early."

It was to Foncé's surprise later that King Bumi really did have Foncé's suggestion in mind when he surrendered, explaining to Aang the importance of patience. But most of the last half of the episode involved Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee getting into a fast-paced fight with Aang, Katara, and Sokka.

"So this is a popular program?" asked Princesa after the episode finished. "There looked to be a great amount of detail put into everything."

"That was interesting," Foncé said. "I've never seen the surrender tactic used positively in a children's program before. But way did you want us to pay so much attention to Azula and her friends?"

"You haven't gotten it yet?" asked Ishtar. "Then you need to see a few more episodes!"

* * *

A few more episodes later, Foncé said, "I think I understand now." 

"Isn't it cute!" Ishtar gushed. "They're just like us! It occurred to me last night that I'm Ty Lee, you're Mai, and you're Azula, and when I thought of that I knew I had to show you my D.V.D.'s!"

"I for one am flattered," said Foncé, smiling. "Azula's just the type of person I admire: Perfectionist, elitist, and in control of her emotions."

"But you would _never_ push Princesa into a fountain or shove me to the ground, right?" Ishtar asked playfully.

"I don't know," Foncé said. "Just wait 'til you displease me. Then I'll shove down all the time." She chuckled darkly at this.

"But not matter how many times you shove me down I'll _always_ be the adorable little Ty Lee to your evil Azula!" Ishtar said as she took Foncé's hands.

"Really now?" said Foncé.

Ishtar's eyes went all big and dewy. "I even submitted a few Azula and Ty Lee girls love fics to _FanFiction Dot Net_."

"That's phenomenal," Foncé deadpanned, wondering what _FanFiction Dot Net_ was supposed to be. She decided to change the subject.

"But before I can _really_ be Azula I need to have a Fire Nation first."

Ishtar released Foncé's hand. "True enough," she said.

Foncé left her seat and began to slowly pace around. "I'll need to influence people to create my empire. Many people, Devil and human alike."

A sly look passed over Ishtar's face. Foncé had never seen her look so cunning before. "Influence? You want influence? Then you don't just want to start an empire—you want to start a _religion_. There are _always_ unsatisfied people on the look out for just the right faith for them. All cults, no matter how screwy, gain at least a few members. Because you can actually cast spells, actually make _miracles_, you will attract a sizeable following if you were to start a religion."

"Very true," Foncé agreed. "But I need more than that. I want to influence Devils too. They're not going to fall for my 'miracles'."

"I can help there," said Princesa. "There are many very influential books, ones that have reshaped human history. If you study these you can learn more about controlling the masses. It will take some time, but we can acquire these books."

"Very good, Princesa," said Foncé. "But what are these books?"

Princesa smiled. "I have been studying human culture and history. Leave the books to me. I shall find them for you."

"Good, good." Foncé put her hands together and smiled darkly. If she couldn't find love then she'd just have to channel all of her energy toward building an empire to win the Battle for her, her very own Fire Nation to purge all enemy Devils from the World of Humans and pave the way to her reign.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Well that was interesting to write. I dedicate this chapter to fellow author Flurry of Flames. I hope you like it Flurry!_


	32. Level 32: Love?

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

Zorcu and Jeeno are property of Rahkshi500. Kage is property of Duskmon Kimura.

* * *

**Level 32: 恋?**

**Level 32: Love?**

_Princesa's really beautiful, isn't she? It's a shame she's afraid to get close to anyone. At least Mai shows signs of having a crush on Zuko in _Avatar_. I think that Princesa's forcefully repressing herself. Maybe if Foncé and I can arrange a trap where we push her into the village fountain with Imité to create a romantic scene…No, I don't think either of them would be happy._

_Foncé started reading over the texts of human religions in an attempt to better understand how to form a religion of her own. It's lonely, so I'd better get close to my other comrades. _

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

Ken paced impatiently outside the study Foncé had locked herself into, her book held under his arm. He desperately wanted to try out all the new spells. He didn't really understand the language of Devil spells, so he could hardly imagine the effects of such wondrous sounding incantations such as "Anradom" and "Angunobion". There were so many spells that he feared he might never memorize them if he didn't start practicing with them that very moment. 

"Hurry up Foncé," he muttered. "It's been too long since we've had an actual _fight_."

* * *

Even with her robe, Ishtar couldn't help but shiver as she walked outside with her comrades. The sky was as oppressive and overcast as the day she arrived in Auseuil, but the air was noticeably colder now. It didn't help that she and Mistera had to go out into the dark woods behind Château de Fouché to practice their spells. No one was willing to risk casting spells close to the village and catching the attention of the villagers. Squalor did argue that no one would miss Auseuil if they did accidentally destroy it, but everyone brushed him off. 

"Aren't you cold?" Mistera asked Imité, who as usual was wearing a tight black midriff-exposing shirt, a pair of black fishnet gloves, and a black skirt. Instead of shoes that day he was wearing a pair of cheap plastic sandals.

The Devil boy shrugged. "It's cold back in my home, the Ever Night Forest. I'm used to it."

"I hate December," Squalor grumbled, his teeth chattering.

"I'm freezing and I want to go back inside!" Aoi complained, even though she was wearing a nice jean jacket with long trousers. "Let's just get this over with!"

"Weakling," Zorcu muttered under his breath. For as long as he knew her, all Aoi seemed to do was complain. Try as he might, he just couldn't understand how such a stoic and formidable Devil like Princesa could get saddled with her.

"Alright," said Princesa, "let us begin here. Aoi? Please bring up a spell."

Aoi flipped her book out. "_Gigano Desru!_"

Sand swirled around Princesa and formed into a large pyramid in front of her hands. The pyramid was tipped over onto its side, the part that would sit on the ground facing Princesa, the pointed top facing away from her. With a roar the pyramid rushed away into the section of the woods Princesa had been pointing at, its crushing force flattening several trees before dissipating back into sand.

"Impressive," said Zorcu. "But it's my turn now! Jeeno!"

"_Thaoson Kalightsu!_" Jeeno called. Zorcu immediately fired off a stream of crimson energy spears into the woods.

Squalor thrust his book out. "Let's try this! _Teor'anheiru!_"

Imité brought his hands up and released a much larger version of Anheiru, obliterating a tree.

Say," Squalor said, rubbing his chin, "that spell actually seems to have done some damage."

"Of course it's a good spell," Imité said matter-of-factly. "I got it when I thought Foncé had died. The shock and anger, however brief, was enough to give me Teor'anheiru."

"I can't really use a really powerful spell here," said Ishtar. "I'd just end up summoning something really big that would tear Auseuil apart."

"That's great," Aoi said sarcastically. "Can we go now?"

"We need to be ready to fight on Foncé's behalf," said Imité as he gave a strange look to Aoi. "Let's try some new tactics, okay? This will be useful later."

* * *

The sun went down quickly, and the group gratefully headed back to the castle. It was very cold at night now, and everyone was glad for the hot dinner Fouché had prepared for them. 

Aoi drank from a cup of tea. "That's good," she sighed. "Well, I think I'm going to go to my room and turn in for the night." Her eyes briefly glanced to Imité. "I'm a bit tired, and a warm blanket sounds good right now."

"It sure does," Imité answered, smiling slightly.

As Aoi left the dinning hall, Ken brought his cup down hard upon the table.

"Foncé won't even come out to eat," Ken grumbled, sounding frustrated. "I want to be testing her spells with you guys! There's so many in her book now!"

"Give her time," said Princesa. "She is hungry for knowledge. I do not blame her one bit. In fact, I would like to join her later. The two of us can be 'study buddies'."

"How cute," Ken muttered.

"Excuse me," said Imité, "but I think I'll be leaving too. I want to read something."

"What?" asked Squalor. "I haven't seen you reading anything."

"Maybe you would if you spent more time with me," Imité said poutingly with false sadness as he pushed his chair in and walked away.

"I'll take some food to Foncé," said Ishtar, picking up a plate of food. "I can't let our fair mistress starve to death while studying."

"I will accompany you," Princesa said, and they left together.

"I think I'll turn in too," Ken said to Zorcu, Jeeno, Mistera, and Squalor. "There's nothing left for me to do here."

* * *

Ishtar knocked briskly at the study door. "Foncé!" she called cheerfully. "Princesa and I have food for you! Princesa also wants to study with you a little!" 

The door opened and Foncé peered out. She looked tired but excited. She smiled weakly. "Hello there," she said. "Please come in."

Ishtar walked in. Princesa was about to go in, but she turned around and noticed Aoi letting Imité into her room.

_The third time since they have met back in Paris,_ she thought as she turned back to the study.

The interior of the study was littered with books, most piled up on the desk Foncé was using. Foncé moved some books off of the desk and Ishtar put the plate of food there.

"So what have you learned?" asked Princesa.

"I'm learning about who we should emulate in the future," said Foncé. "What I'm learning is quite useful."

"So tell us!" said Ishtar excitedly.

"It will take a while," Foncé explained, "but I'll try."

It was interesting to Princesa, but she couldn't help but wonder why Imité kept visiting Aoi.

* * *

Aoi and Imité rolled around the bed together, their lips locked into a hungry kiss. Imité still wore all of his clothes, but Aoi was wearing just her jean jacket and underwear. 

After a long while they separated and got under the covers, feeling tired but happy and warm. They stuck close, basking in each other's warmth.

"That was nice," Aoi sighed.

"Yeah," Imité agreed.

There was a moment's silence, then Aoi said, "Let's cut the bullshit; we just want to get into each other's knickers."

Imité raised his hand to examine his flawless fingernails. "True enough," he said simply.

"No love here," she said, and put her arms around him.

"Then why are we now cuddling?"

"Because it's cold and you're the warmest thing in the room."

"Oh."

There was another moment of silence.

"Do you wish we were in love?" she asked.

"No," he answered.

"Why not?"

"It'd be stupid and pointless. I'm a Devil. You're a human. We'd never be able to stay together, and even if I became king of the World of Devils and brought you with me you'd die of old age long before I show any sign of aging at all. So let's just continue being shallow."

"Fine by me."

Imité looked at her. "You say that, but you don't _really_ feel that. I can tell."

"What?"

"You try too hard to seem like a loner who doesn't need love. It's painfully obvious to me that you crave love and attention. People are often exactly the opposite of what their outward appearance says about them."

"Then what about you, huh?"

"I come from a family that will disown or even kill you for being different. I had to repress myself until I was sent away. The mask I wore to protect myself from my family is gone. I'm free now, so what you get from me now is what I really am."

Imité climbed out of the bed and stretched seductively. "I'm like an orchid," he said, adding a husky lilt to his voice. "Suggestive of both sexes, I'm colorful and decadent." He ran a finger slowly and suggestively down the side of his thigh. "Delicate and highly cultivated, I'm a sweetly poisonous tropical flower of evil."

Aoi suddenly lunged out of bed and grabbed a hold of Imité, dragging him back into bed with her. She kissed him hard, and then said, "Oh god, I love it when you talk that way." She kissed him again. "But if it's true I need some real love so much, then I think you need it just as badly as I do. Now get under the covers! It's cold tonight!"

* * *

**Singapore **

Yadau, in his human disguise, sat out in front of the door to a Housing and Development Board flat. He glanced at his pocket watch and smiled. It was just about time, and he would be able to return to Auseuil soon. He just needed to complete his task.

A shadow suddenly fell over him. "Hey asshole," a dead, monotone voice intoned, "you're in the way."

Yadau looked up to find two youths standing over him. The older of the two was a tall, extremely pale boy of about fifteen with pitch-black hair and eyes dressed in a yellow uniform with black trousers, white shoes, and a backpack. Next to him was a much smaller boy of about nine with dark features, blood-red eyes, and shockingly white hair. He was dressed mostly in black, and even had an ankle-length cape complete with a hood. Yadau smiled—he found who he was looking for.

"Did you hear me?" the older boy asked. "Get out of the way or we'll move you ourselves."

Yadau chuckled and got up. "Higure Kimura, keeper of the spirit book, and General Kage of the ghost Devils. I've been waiting for you."

The older boy, Kimura, showed no sign of surprise, but he reached into his backpack and brought out a gray, translucent Devil book. "Are you here to fight?" he asked. "I hope you can give us a challenge."

"I'm not here to fight," said Yadau, still smiling. "I'm just a messenger. Now, how would you like to fight a _truly_ powerful opponent, a Devil beyond any other you've so far encountered?"

"Sounds interesting," said Kage, "but we've heard boasts like that before. No one's lived up to them yet."

"This one's different, I assure you," Yadau said. "If you're in, then you have six days to prepare for the battle. That's the twenty-sixth. It doesn't matter where you are; we'll find you. Interested?"

Kage smirked. "Sure. We've got nothing better to do."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: The events of the next six days are covered in my new story, "Kokushoku no Christmas"._


	33. Level 33: Spitfire

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Kin and Dantes are property of Rahkshi500. _

* * *

**Level 33: スピットファイア**

**Level 33: Spitfire**

_I've noticed a few changes in Foncé. Ever since she discovered herself her eyes have become slitted, her movements more sensual, and I think her tongue has become long and forked. It's frightening, but it's exciting too. _

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar** _

* * *

25 December. Christmas had come and gone, and the next year was ready to arrive. It had been a strange and exciting time for everyone, not the least because it had been the first Christmas that Foncé and the other Devils ever experienced. Foncé encountered (and came to hate) the boy her parents chose to have her marry, and for the first time in a long while burned another Devil's book in battle. Everyone had grown a little closer over the Christmas season, and Foncé pondered their next move.

Little did she realize that sinister forces had some very big plans for her and her comrades…

* * *

Foncé and Ken walked through the roads of Auseuil, admiring the frost accumulating upon the buildings. Foncé found the untouched snow and ice to be beautiful in a simple sort of way.

"Isn't it pretty Ken?" Foncé asked. "The snow is so clean and pure! It makes me wish I had ice powers. Then I could freeze other bookkeepers to death and observe the beautiful ice crystals covering the corpse."

"I guess that would be nice," Ken answered dully. He was tired of snow at this point and wanted to leave Auseuil as soon as possible. Maybe he could stand to stay for New Year's, but he wanted to go some place more metropolitan, like Paris or Berlin.

"So Foncé, do you have any idea of what we should do next?"

"That's a good question Ken. It would be foolish to just stay here, never taking any risks, but it's hard to locate Devils. We were lucky to meet so many allies in such a short amount of time, and as the number of Devils decreases it will become harder to find them."

"We should've tried harder to find others in the beginning," said Ken. "You're unique among Devils. Becoming ruler of the World of Devils should be easy for you."

"There are many things to do before finishing the Battle," Foncé replied. She had a faraway look in her eye.

"Like what?"

Before Foncé could answer, there was a loud crash and the ground began to shake with a deep rumbling. Icicles fell from roofs and imbedded themselves into the snow below like throwing daggers. Screams could be heard in the distance. Other people left their houses, coming to see what was going on.

"An earthquake?" asked Ken.

A man ran past them, hysterically shrieking, "_Monster! A monster appeared and cornered a boy and girl! Help!_"

Foncé turned to Ken and smiled. "That was easy," she remarked.

* * *

"Again Topo! _Grounbao!_"

The giant mole-like monster put his clawed paws to the ground and grunted. Kin grabbed Dantes' sleeve and ran as fast as her slim legs could carry her away from the spot they had been standing on. The frozen patch she had been standing on only a second before exploded in a ball of flame, the force hurling Kin and Dantes into the snow.

"Nasty bugs," Topo grumbled. "Hit them with Grouncrag again, Fridtjof, but don't put so much heart energy into it this time. Don't destroy the town by accident."

"Oh, sorry," the bookkeeper mumbled.

_Grounsen, Grouncrag, Grounbao,_ Kin mentally listed as she helped her partner to his feet and began to run. _Do they have any more spells?_

"Big, dumb loser!" Kin shouted back at Topo. "You'll never catch us! You're too slow!"

"We can catch you no mater where you are as long as you stand on Earth!" Fridtjof shouted back. "_Grouncrag!_"

The ground beneath Kin and Dantes' feet cracked and shattered into frozen chunks, throwing them off balance and knocking them over.

_This is bad,_ Kin thought. _They're just gonna knock us over every time we stand up._

"What a rude girl," said Topo, his massive shadow falling over Kin and Dantes. "Just hand your book over and be done with it. I don't want to squash you, but I will if I have to."

"Damn it…" she swore.

* * *

Foncé and Ken watched the battle unfold from a distance. The could see a fuchsia-colored mole-like Devil the size of a dump truck, a blond man with a mustache, a slim blonde girl, and a blue-haired young man. Foncé stared at the girl closely. She felt a great deal of malice coming from her, even from the distance between them. Another gift from Serpenté was the ability to sense dark feelings. One of Serpenté's secrets to success was to seek out the desperate and angry and manipulate them with her forked tongue. Foncé wondered if she could be as successful.

"Damn, that thing is huge," said Ken. "But we can blow them all away in one shot."

"No Ken," Foncé warned. "Don't attack them both."

He turned to her. "Oh, I get it! Let them duke it out until one of them falls, then we take out the victor! I see now. Good plan. Saves us some trouble."

"No; I want to talk to the girl there. We're attacking the big one."

"What? _Why?_"

Foncé hopped out of her hiding spot headed for the battle. "Just do it Ken," she answered curtly.

Ken sighed in frustration and went after her, the dark purple book in tow.

* * *

Topo stepped forward, glaring down at Kin with tiny eyes. "Are you going to make this difficult?" he asked.

Kin was trapped. With a single spell he could blow them up or crush them. He could even just rake them with his claws. The jig was up.

And before I could show Papiprio up too… 

Kin shut her eyes, unable to look. "Dantes, hand it over."

"Smart," said Fridtjof.

"_Anheiru!_"

The sound of a spell being fired and Topo screaming rang in Kin's ears. She opened her eyes to see Topo covering his face. The mole Devil was bellowing in pain.

If his claws aren't touching the ground then he can't use spells! 

Dantes was up in an instant, swiftly pointing his arm at Fridtjof, the signal for when he wanted to use a spell. Kin turned her face to Topo's partner.

"_Amireido!_" the youth called out.

Kin's mouth stretched wide and open, vomiting up a light green weighted net. Before Fridtjof could act the net had covered him, trapping him where he stood. "Topo! Help me!" he shouted.

"My eyes!" Topo wailed. "I can't see!"

Kin looked around for their saviors, and spotted a small girl and a tall boy, both wearing black. "Be careful Dantes. We might have to fight these guys next."

The girl and boy casually walked past the flailing Topo and stepped up to Fridtjof. The girl pointed her hand at Fridtjof and the boy said, "_Anheiru!_" There was a blast of black energy, and then Topo vanished into thin air.

Kin looked over and saw that both Fridtjof and the net were gone now. Just a smooth crater remained. Fridtjof had been completely vaporized.

The girl turned to them and smiled. "Don't be afraid," she said. She and her partner began to walk toward them. "I just want to talk with you."

Kin stared with disbelief. The new Devil seemed to have just dropped her guard. She wondered if it would be worth it to attack them. Trapping them with Amireido would make it easy to defeat them, but she had only seen one spell from them. Who knew what else they could do? Besides, if she missed then the new Devil would doubtlessly make short work of both of them.

The little girl stopped in front of them and raised her hands toward the sky. "_Ninhao,_" the girl said in a dignified yet friendly tone. "I am Foncé of Clan Ying. May I ask what your name is?"

"K-Kin," Kin answered. She noticed that Foncé's eyes were slitted like a snake's, a detail that somehow made her feel very uncomfortable. She averted her eyes. Foncé took Kin's chin and made her look into her eyes.

"There's anger in your heart Kin," Foncé said silkily. "Care to tell me about it?"

"I…I…"

Kin wanted to look away. She couldn't stand being looked at by those violet snake eyes. She felt naked and helpless in them, as though they could see right through her and into her very thoughts. She shuttered.

"Well?"

"I…I want to defeat my younger brother! I want to show my parents! I want their blessing! I _need_ their blessing!" Kin felt a little better getting that out. In fact, it felt strangely good to confess to this eerie girl.

"Have you had any luck so far?"

"No."

Foncé smiled. "Maybe you just need a little help."

"You'd help me? A potential enemy?"

"Of course I would Kin. I saw that you're special, and I want to be your friend."

"My friend?" Kin's head felt warm and sleepy. She realized that Foncé's eyes weren't scary at all. No, they were very friendly and pretty.

_Why was I scared of her before?_ she thought.

Foncé took her hand. "Come on Kin. I'll show you to my other friends and help you find your brother."

"Okay," Kin replied in a dazed tone.

They headed off, Dantes and Foncé's partner trailing behind them.

"I'm staying in a castle," said Foncé.

"Really? Wow," Kin replied.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I hope I wrote for Kin correctly. I don't have any stories with her to use as a basis._

_As always, please read and review. Be sure to catch the next chapter, where Foncé and Ken go head-to-head with Kage and Kimura!_


	34. Level 34: Kage

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zoruc, Jeeno, Kin, Dantes, Arisha, Mikoro, and Zero are property of Rahkshi500._

_Kage is property of Duskmon Kimura._

**

* * *

**

**Level 34: ****カゲ**

**Level 34: Kage**

_Foncé brought back some new friends today! My beloved is the most charismatic Devil ever, is she not, journal? It upsets me when I hear about Devils who reject her kindness. If I ever encounter any of those types, I'll rip their skin off and force-feed them their own reproductive organs. If only I had been allowed to do more to that harlot Imité found… _

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar**_

* * *

Ken had been thinking about it for a while now, wanting to tell Foncé how he really felt, but always keeping his thoughts to himself. After all, she had thousands of years of experience by now; he figured that she knew what she was doing. 

But Ken had had enough now. He was putting his foot down, and would have to talk to her later. There were now far too many Devil pairs in their group, more than Foncé had actually defeated. This had to stop.

He slogged through the snow next to Kin's partner. The boy hadn't said anything yet, which Ken was grateful for. He still disliked talking to most other people, and was grateful that Foncé did the talking for him most of the time. She wanted them all to interact freely, but Ken still wasn't totally comfortable communicating with his fellow bookkeepers or their Devils.

_I almost wish it were just the two of us again,_ Ken thought. _Just the two of us, crushing everyone who got in our way._ _That would be the life; just going around cruising and killing…_

* * *

Foncé pulled the front door of Château de Fouché open, not without some effort on her part. "We're back!" she called. "And we brought some new friends with us!" 

"Yeah, about that…" Ken began, but Ishtar suddenly skidded in to see what was happening, followed by Princesa, Aoi, Mistera, Zorcu, Jeeno, Griffon, and Yadau. Fouché had gone on a weeklong holiday with his elderly butler Dupont in Italy, leaving Château de Fouché in the hands of his guests.

"New friends?" Ishtar inquired. She scampered up to Kin, close enough to so that Kin had to lean back so their noses weren't touching

"Hi there!" Ishtar greeted cheerily. "What's your name?"

"Who am I?" Kin asked. She chuckled and brushed a lock of blonde hair away from her face dramatically. She then threw her arms out wide in a grand, sweeping gesture and struck a pose. "Why, I am the magnificent Lady Kin! Pleased to meet you! And the man beside me is Dantes."

_Has Foncé roped another pair in?_ Jeeno thought. _How does she do that?_

Ishtar backed slightly away from Kin to avoid her arms. "So how did you meet Lady Foncé?"

"We were fighting another Devil," Kin answered. "I, of course, was handing his own ass back to him, but then I tripped and fell, so Foncé here finished the job for me. She told me she'd be my friend if I helped her. Everyone likes friends, so I don't need any more convincing!"

Ken stared at Kin. "That isn't—" he started to say, but Foncé nudged his leg with her elbow and he fell quiet.

Foncé noticed that Imité and Squalor weren't in the group. "Where is my brother and Lord Squalor?" she asked. "I want them to meet our newest friends."

"They said they were going out," Aoi said.

"Out where?"

Aoi shrugged. "They just said 'out'."

Yadau smiled and shook Kin's hand. "My, what a pretty girl," he said. _Pretty enough to eat in fact,_ he thought.

Kin moved on to Griffon. "Hi there!" she greeted.

Griffon smiled and extended his hand to her. "_Rihau,_" he said warmly.

Kin recoiled. "_What did you just call me?!_" she exploded. Griffon backed away from Kin, very confused by her outburst. Yadau put his hand on Griffon's should and looked at Kin.

"Forgive my friend here," said Yadau. "He can't speak your language, so he said 'Hello' in my native tongue."

Kin calmed down. "Oh, okay," she answered.

Princesa watched Kin with a furrowed brow. _Such an unusual little girl,_ she thought. _I am beginning to suspect that Foncé has a pathological need to surround herself with people. Were Serpenté and the rest of her past incarnations the same way, I wonder?_

_What does Foncé see in this chick?_ Ken asked himself as she continued introducing herself to everyone. _She's just crazy!_

The door suddenly burst open behind them, giving everyone a jump. Imité stood proudly in the doorway, two girls slung over his shoulders like bags of flour. One of them was thrashing about wildly, screaming angry threats and curses. The other hung limply, silent and seemingly unconscious. The conscious girl was much younger than the other one.

"Hello everybody," Imité said with a twisted grin. "Look what I found while we were out!" He unceremoniously tossed the screaming girl into the center of the room and let the unconscious one slide to the floor. Behind him loomed Squalor, in one hand holding Imité's Persian blue book while holding a purple-blue book in the other.

The smaller girl got to her feet, and Foncé was shocked to find that she was Arisha Antonidas. "Ying!" the vampire Devil snarled upon seeing her hated enemy. Foncé noticed that her cloak, socks, and shoes were gone. She raised an eyebrow at this. What was Arisha doing going around barefoot?

"No way!" Ken exclaimed, every bit as surprised as Foncé. "What's _she_ doing here?!"

"That's funny story," Imité said. He strode behind Arisha and kicked her in the back. Arisha hit the floor with an angry yelp, and Imité stomped down hard on the small of her back, pinning her down. "Squalor and I were just visiting another town when we happened to run into these two. I recognized her as that cute little friend you would invite over to play from time to time Foncé. I thought she might be happy to know you were in the area, but she responded negatively to your name, so I thought you two had some history to work out between you."

"Yes," Foncé confirmed; "indeed there is much that happened between us."

"Ying," Arisha seethed, "I swear, when I get my hands on you…!"

"You're not in any position to cause me harm," Foncé stated. "Not only are you surrounded by my comrades but your partner can't read your book at the moment."

"This is all because you can't have Zero, isn't it?!" Arisha demanded. "You just can't stand that there's something you can't get either with your money or power!"

Foncé shook her head, slowly and pityingly. "Oh Arisha," she sighed. "I've matured since then. I'm over that little crush I had on him. After that whole incident with Zero my eyes were opened. Don't flatter yourself thinking that I've spent my time and energy feverishly plotting my vengeance against you and your boyfriend for hurting me. You're nothing to me now. Zero's nothing to me now. I no longer care about any of the things you two did to me."

Foncé's face darkened. "However, I don't believe Ken feels quite the same way."

"That's right!" Ken leered. "I've been longing to get back at you for beating us up! You, your partner, Zero, and Hundred have been on my shit list for a long time now! I'm really gonna enjoy listening to you scream…"

"Wait, wait," Imité interrupted. "Are you saying that you two took on Zero the Hybrid Devil?"

"Not only did we battle him," Foncé answered in a matter-of-fact tone, "we defeated him and made him my pet for a time."

"_Pet?!_" Arisha roared. "That does it! Get off me you _creep!_" Arisha suddenly reared up, throwing Imité off balance and making him nearly topple into Squalor. The Devil girl leapt to her feet and stared defiantly at the crowd around her.

Zorcu stepped forward and laughed. "Foncé was able to defeat _Zero_ in combat? I really _did_ pick the winning team!"

"Of course!" Ishtar chimed in. "Foncé is the smartest and most powerful Devil ever!"

Arisha stared in shock and fury at Zorcu. "_Zorcu?!_ You've stooped to joining Foncé? You traitor!"

"Traitor?" Zorcu sneered. "I've said before and I'll say it again: I'm not your friend. We may know each other, but that doesn't mean shit to me. I'll do whatever it take for my revenge, no matter what you or anyone says."

"Have you forgotten Spirit's oath?" Arisha cried. "Things will get better for us! All Devils will live in harmony someday."

"There will be peace between the Devils alright," said Zorcu. "Foncé's gonna unite Devils of all kinds, and if any bigoted assholes have a problem with that then they die. Not only will Spirit's oath be fulfilled, but I get my revenge!"

"She's just telling you what you want to hear!" Arisha cried out. She turned to the entire group. "She's just lying to you guys! Foncé may act like your friend, but in the end she'll betray you just like did me!"

Princesa, who had been leaning silently against the wall the entire time, looked up upon hearing Arisha speak of Foncé's betrayal, but said nothing.

"That's because you were a bad friend," Foncé explained. "Now I'm surrounded by very _good_ friends. I would never betray them."

"Only one Devil can become ruler of the World of Devils!" Arisha retorted. "She'll turn against you eventually!"

"And when that time comes," said Ishtar, "I'll offer her my book so that she may destroy it."

Arisha stared at Ishtar, unable to believe what she just said. How could anyone be that fanatical?

"Lord Squalor, please hand me Arisha's book," Foncé requested. Squalor complied, handing the purple-blue tome to his leader. As Foncé tried to take it from him the book opened slightly and a small sheet slid out from between the pages and onto the floor.

"Oh? What's this?" Mistera snatched the sheet up. Turning it over, she found that it was a photograph. She held it out for Foncé to see. Foncé glanced over and recognized Arisha, her bookkeeper, Zero, Rahkshi Hundred, Zorcu, and Jeeno standing together, looking tired but triumphant.

"Not only do you know Arisha, Zorcu," said Foncé, "but you know Zero as well? What happened between you?"

Zorcu sighed. "We joined forces to take down some Devil named Biblio," he explained in a bored tone.

Arisha glared at Zorcu, then at Jeeno. Jeeno looked away shamefully, unable to look Arisha in the eye. She felt sick with guilt. It didn't matter what Zorcu said; it felt to her like they betrayed their former ally.

Foncé began to chuckle. "Now what was it Zero said that last time?" she asked. "If I were to ever go near you again he would make me regret it? Well, I certainly don't see Zero here. I suppose that means we can do whatever we want with you now. Ken?"

Foncé's partner stepped forward. Grinning maliciously, he lifted Foncé's book up. "_Anheiru._" Foncé pointed her hand at Arisha and blasted her with a weakened Anheiru. Arisha's body felt cold and numb from the exposure to pure darkness. She cried out and stumbled backward into Imité. Imité brought a slim limber leg back and slammed his foot into Arisha, knocking her to the floor again.

Foncé raised her arms. "Now my friends," she proclaimed, "look upon this pitiful wench and project your hatred upon her. Project every dislike you've ever had, every setback, every failure. Focus your anger, and channel it into her. Empty your rage into her."

Arisha looked up at Foncé with a look of pure hatred. It gave Foncé a strange sense of happiness to feel Arisha's hate.

Ken stepped forward and brought his foot down on Arisha's hand. "How does that feel, you little bitch?" he snarled as she screamed in pain.

Imité walked over and kicked Arisha in the face as hard as he could, laughing. "I don't know what happened between you and my sister, but I'm going to enjoy hurting you anyway!"

Zorcu proceeded to kick Arisha in her side. "Still think I'm your friend Arisha?" he demanded over her cries of pain. "Huh? Do you?"

Squalor grinned and joined Zorcu in kicking Arisha. Mistera and Aoi watched from the sides uneasily. Foncé turned to them. "Go ahead you two," she offered. "Join the fun!"

Mistera hesitantly came forward and kicked at Arisha lightly. Her blow connected, and Mistera kicked again. And again. And again. Soon Aoi had joined her in kicking the vampire girl, a child neither of them even knew. It had seemed ghastly at first, but they were caught up in the sickening adrenaline rush. In a way it was liberating to them, like they really were trying to destroy everything they hated.

Kin joined in too, yelling, "_This_ is for taking attention away from me! I was trying to make friends, and then _you_ had to come in and interrupt me!"

Imité, noticing Kin for the first, stopped and said, "Wait, who are you?"

"I'm Kin," she answered casually while she continued laying into the helpless Arisha. "Actually, I just wanted an excuse to join in."

"Really?"

Kin whipped her head toward Imité. "What's wrong with that?" she growled.

"Nothing."

Dantes watched the scene unfolding before him with wide eyes. The young man shook where he stood, clutching Kin's book tightly to his chest.

Jeeno couldn't take it anymore. "_Stop it!_" she cried. "_Please, stop!_" But no one listened to her pleas. Ken, Zorcu, Imité, Kin, Aoi, Mistera, and Squalor continued their kicking and stomping. She saw that Princesa, Yadau, and Griffon had not joined in Arisha's torment, so she ran to them. "_Do something!_" she cried, tugging on Princesa's arm. "They're killing her!"

Princesa looked down at Jeeno, her face devoid of any emotion. "Indeed they are," she replied coldly. "Why should I care?"

Jeeno looked over at Yadau and Griffon. Yadau had his arms crossed, smiling approvingly at the brutal scene. Griffon looked more fascinated than approving, but he too was smiling slightly.

Jeeno turned away from them and tried to pull Zorcu away by his arm, but he just brushed her aside, ignoring her protests. Without any options left, she ran to Foncé's side in tears. "Please," she pleaded, "make them stop."

"Just look at them," Foncé answered. "They're tiring out. It will end soon." Sure enough, the torment had slowed down considerably. Slowly they tired and backed off, breathing heavily. Arisha lay in a bloody, bruised heap, much worse off then when Arisha had beaten Foncé.

Foncé noticed that Ishtar was not among them any more. _Where did Ish go?_ She thought. She did not have long to wait. Ishtar strode back into the room, her expression grimmer than Foncé had ever seen before. She was clutching a shiny pair of stainless steel scissors.

The young fortuneteller silently walked over to Arisha and grabbed a handful of her long black, purple-streaked hair. She yanked Arisha's hair and forced her to stand up. Ishtar nodded when Arisha let out a squeak of pain, satisfied that she was still conscious. She brought her scissors out and held them close to Arisha's face.

"You have some of the prettiest hair I've seen," Ishtar said calmly, inspecting Arisha's hair. Bending down, Ishtar rubbed her cheek lovingly against Arisha's dark locks. "It's so smooth and long. I absolutely adore it. It's just such a shame that it has to grow from the scalp of a harlot like you."

Ishtar brought her scissors up and began to furiously cut away at Arisha's hair. Locks were snipped away and discarded on the floor. Ishtar went about her work efficiently and methodically.

"To reject Foncé's generosity," Ishtar said, "is the most unforgivable deed. You should be honored that she even saw fit to speak to you."

Ishtar cut away enough hair that the clump she was holding Arisha up by tore off in his hand, sending Arisha collapsing back onto the floor. Her hair was cruelly short, shorter than Foncé's now. She lay surrounded by clumps of her hair.

Ishtar looked at the ball of hair in her hand, sniffed at it, then dropped it to the floor. She reached down and grabbed Arisha by her shirt. With startling strength she tore one of Arisha's sleeves off. She bent over Arisha and began tearing pieces of her shirt and skirt off. After Ishtar was satisfied with ruining her clothes, she took Arisha's crimson-jeweled necklace and slipped it over her head.

"I hope that your friend Zero will recognize your hair and rags when I show them to him," Ishtar said as she slipped the necklace over her own head. "I want to see him despair, utterly crushed."

Foncé clapped her hands together. "Marvelous, Ish! Splendid!"

Arisha twitched and painfully dragged herself toward Foncé. She slowly raised her head and focused on her tormenter. Her face was dark with bruises and her nose looked broken. Her lips had split open in several places, yet she still opened her bleeding mouth. "_Foncé…you'll…never…win…become…ruler…_"

"Oh really? Please explain why I won't." Foncé said.

Arisha coughed before continuing. "_Zero…will…win…If not…someone…else…Not…a monster…like…you…_"

"But monsters have been winning the Battles for ages now," Foncé chuckled. "I just happen to be worst than most."

She tossed Arisha's book to the floor and pointed her hand at it. "Ken?"

The dark purple book glowed. "_Anheiru!_"

Seconds later, Arisha was gone.

* * *

The group walked away, giddy and chatting excitedly over what just happened. 

"I hope Hundred has a girlfriend," Ken said to Foncé. "If he does, we should find her and do the same thing to her!"

Mistera's long hair had become disheveled in the excitement. She hastily tried to get it back to its normal shape. "I really need a cigarette," she said as she shakingly lit one she had produced from her purse. She took a few puffs on it and sighed. "That really hit the spot…"

Aoi moved close to Imité. "That was better than any therapy I've ever had!" she cooed. "I'm _really_ in the mood now…"

"Me too, me too," Imité grinned. "There's nothing like beating a totally defenseless child."

"That's was fun," Squalor growled. "We should do that more often."

"What a way to get acquainted!" Kin cheered.

Zorcu turned to say something to Jeeno, and saw that she hadn't moved. She just stared, horrified, at the pile of hair and rags that Ishtar was now carefully picking up off the floor. "Hey," he called, "are you alright?"

Jeeno slowly turned to look at him, her eyes wide and frightened. Tears had begun to form in her eyes, and threatened to overflow. Then, without warning, she turned and bolted. She threw the door open and ran outside.

Yadau and Griffon moved beside Foncé and Ken. "You got rid of the little girl," Yadau said, "but what about her partner?"

"Do what you like with her," Foncé answered. "I don't care."

"You have a heavy battle coming up," Yadau said, changing the subject. "You two should rest up. Your opponent is likely beyond any other you've faced so far."

"We were able to beat that stupid hybrid once," Ken pointed out. "Everyone says he's really tough, so what's so special about this other guy?"

"You fought this hybrid at a period of weakness. Your opponent for later has had time to refine himself. Don't underestimate him."

"You keep telling us that he is powerful," said Foncé, "but you refuse to tell us anything else. Who is he?"

"His name is General Kage," Yadau answered, "and in the name of fairness, I cannot reveal anything else. Of course, that means he knows next to nothing about you too."

"When are we leaving?" asked Ken.

"Very soon," Yadau answered. "You should do what you have to beforehand."

_That's not much of an answer,_ Ken thought.

Foncé frowned, not entirely sure how to handle the situation. She didn't want to worry her friends by saying that she was about to enter a dangerous battle, but she also wished to say "Good-bye" in case her book was burned in the process. She didn't know how Kin, Zorcu, and Princesa would react, but she knew Imité and, especially, Ishtar would be devastated if she lost. Ishtar might just burn her own book if she heard that she had been returned to the World of Devils.

"Please excuse me for a moment," Foncé, and broke away. She hurried back over to where Ishtar was. She had gathered Arisha's hair into a neat plait held together with elastic bands, and was rubbing it against her cheek, her eyes closed. She didn't notice Foncé standing behind her.

"Ish?"

Ishtar gasped and dropped the plait. "I'm sorry Foncé!" Ishtar stammered. "It's just that I really like this hair…It reminds me of you, except for the purple streaks. It's just my humble opinion, but I think you would look nice with long hair."

"You should have seen me as Serpenté," said Foncé. "I had hair that cascaded all the way down to my hips."

Ishtar's eyes shined. "Really?" she asked.

"Really."

Foncé moved closer to Ishtar and sighed. "Ish, I have something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Ishtar's face grew worried.

"Ken and I will be leaving somewhere far away very soon to battle a powerful Devil. I want you to know that I might not be coming back."

"No!" Ishtar blurted out. "You'll be back! You can't lose!"

"I'm confidant," said Foncé, "but there's always that chance my book will be burned, so just in case…"

Foncé reached into her hair and untied a black ribbon. She removed it and carefully began tying it around Ishtar's slender throat.

"I really like this ribbon and I don't want it damaged, so I want you to keep it safe." Foncé tied it into a neat bow, then stepped back to admire he handiwork. Ishtar raised a hand to her throat and touched the ribbon.

"Foncé…" she murmured. She threw her arms around Foncé and hugged her tightly, clutching the smaller girl to her chest. "You know I love you, don't you Foncé?" She leaned over and kissed Foncé's cheek. "Please come back."

"I…love you too, Ish," Foncé said, a little too awkwardly. Now she felt silly.

"Ish, have you seen where my brother went? I want to talk to him as well."

"I saw him go to Aoi's room. They still haven't left."

Foncé made a face at this. "Alright, I suppose he's…occupied…right now. Well, in that case…"

Foncé untied another ribbon, this one violet. She handed it to Ishtar. "When Imité finishes give this to him and just repeat what I said to you, okay?"

Ishtar nodded. "Okay."

"Good."

* * *

Foncé, Ken, and Yadau stepped into the sitting room. As they expected just about everyone was resting there. 

"May I have everyone's attention!" Foncé called. When she saw that all eyes were on them she continued. "There's something I need to tell you…"

* * *

Orchard Road—known as _Wujie-Lu_ in Mandarin—is Singapore's retail and entertainment hub. Lined with hotels, cafés, nightclubs, pedestrian malls, and restaurants, Orchard Road is one of Singapore's busiest areas. It looked especially impressive at night when the buildings were lit up with soft lights. 

Higure and Kage Kimura couldn't care less at the moment. They had been promised a spectacular fight that night, and they were going to get it. They just had to wait for the man who called himself Yadau to tell them everything was ready.

The pair scanned the street and sidewalks, trying to spot the mysterious man. He said he would find them, but they looked anyway.

_Nii-san!_ Kage telepathically said to Higure. _I think I see him. He's coming this way._

Higure looked in the direction Kage was looking. Yes, there was Yadau now, briskly heading down the sidewalk towards them. He could see two shapes behind him. _Finally,_ he thought.

"Yo!" Yadau said jovially as he approached. "Sorry to keep you waiting guys. Well, why don't you get a better look at each other."

He shuffled aside, leaving the two pairs standing parallel to one another. Higure studied the enemy Devil first, a small girl in refined black Victorian garb. _I wonder what her powers are?_ he thought. He looked at her partner, a boy close to his age and height. He was thin and pale, with messy black air combed over one eye. On closer inspection, Higure saw with surprise that he was wearing what looked like black lipstick, black eye shadow, and had silver earrings in the shape of St. Peter's Crosses. He had on a black felt suit and in addition to holding a dark purple Devil book he carried around a black cane with a silver handle. Completing the look were a pair of black leather gloves and a black silk top hat.

Higure stared at the enemy partner. _Well Otouto, we've met some strange bookkeepers before, but this has got to be the first time we've fought a banzhuang huanghou._

**_To be continued..._**


	35. Level 35: Go For It, Mistress Foncé!

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

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* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Kage is property of Duskmon Kimura._

_Arisha, Mikoro, and Dantes are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

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**Level 35: ****がんばって, ****フォンセ****お姉さま****っ!**

**Level 35: Go For It, Mistress Foncé!**

_How could they? All those years of searching...It should be mine! MINE! _

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar**_

* * *

_A ghost Devil,_ Foncé thought, observing her silent opponent. He was a tall boy with skin nearly as pale as her, pure white hair, and red eyes. The boy's attire consisted of a black sleeveless shirt, black leather gloves, black trousers, black belt, white trainers, and a black ankle-length cape with a hood. There was a picture of a grinning skull on the front of his shirt and a chain under his collar. He had a dark, serious appearance, rather handsome in Foncé opinion. 

Foncé had mixed feelings about the ghost Devils. She admired their dedication and drive to better themselves. They were skilled warriors and cunning tacticians, perfectly willing to make use of unscrupulous strategies to gain victory. Perhaps most pleasing to Foncé though was their grim, dark outlook. She found it romantic in a twisted sort of way.

At the same time, Foncé felt that the ghost Devil culture was one of the purist representations of tribalism, a trait of what she considered a markedly inferior civilization. Rather than blend with the rest of the Creatures of the Night and contribute to their collective culture, the ghosts left to form a separate, closed society. The majority of ghost Devils refused to serve anyone not of their own kind, and the few that did solid their talent as mercenaries. As far as Foncé was concerned, fighting for money rather than for a purpose or cause lead only to a loss of perspective. A mercenary could be a strong and skilled fighter, but true potential could not be unleashed solely by want for profits.

"So," Foncé began, "whom do I have the pleasure of meeting this fine night?"

"General Kage Kimura," the ghost answered curtly. "You?"

"I am Foncé of Clan Ying," she replied.

Kage examined her closely. "A noble, huh? An honor to meet you, Lady Ying."

"An honor to meet you as well," said Foncé, mildly surprised by Kage's manners toward her.

"So shall we begin?" Kage asked.

"Now hold on there!" Yadau cut in. "I know you two want to get it on now, but I need to set the field up first! Wait there…"

Yadau turned away and walked straight into the street, ignoring the traffic. A truck nearly plowed into him, but stopped just centimeters away from him. He stopped and stood still in the dead center of the street. Cars honked and drivers cursed at the lunatic in the middle road, but he paid no mind to them.

"What's he doing?" Ken asked.

Yadau raised his arms to the sky. His entire body quivered, his skin beginning to ripple strangely. His fingertips split open and fearsome claws emerged. Two curving horns erupted from beneath his wavy red hair. The back of his shirt bulged and tore open, two massive black leathery wings unfolding and spreading wide. A halo of greenish fire quickly engulfed the shredded remains of Yadau's clothes, utterly destroying them, and a suit of crimson plate mail materialized in their place. Now people screamed and tried to get away. The truck in front of him roared to life, the driver ready to crush the monster flat. But Yadau merely flew straight up over the truck and landed behind it.

"_Daibanchukiegai!_" the An'uuto intoned.

A sickly green light exploded from the street in a wide circle about forty-six meters in diameter. The light flowed into the air, curving into a dome shape above everyone's heads. Cars barreled into the walls of green light and crumpled as if running headlong into the hull of an aircraft carrier.

"There now," Yadau said to Foncé, Kage, Ken, and Higure, "no one can get in or out. Sure a bunch of people are stuck with us, but if they annoy you go ahead and kill them. I won't mind."

"Considerate as always," Foncé said, smiling at her old friend.

* * *

High above in Earth's atmosphere, ancient reconnaissance satellites clicked silently into activity, their electronic eyes zooming in on a portion of Singapore's Orchard Road, specifically the five figures standing still within the massive dome of green light. Muyauwamu could see everything with crystal clarity, his multiple eyes capable of viewing the scene any way he desired. Technicians below Muyauwamu's frozen throne worked quietly and efficiently at their terminals, making minute adjustments to the satellites, maximizing performance for their master. 

_Well done, Yadau. Now Foncé, show me your power. Reveal yourself to me, and prove Yadau correct._

* * *

Jeeno's stomach heaved again. She bent over, shuddering violently. The air was cold outside, but it was welcome after the sickening scene that had gone on earlier. It was already inconceivable that so many people could be persuaded to brutally assault and demean a helpless little girl, but that Zorcu would betray and beat a one-time ally of theirs was beyond the pale. 

She had decided long ago that Foncé was a bad person, but what happened a few moments ago was evil, pure and simple. When she had battled against Biblio she thought he was dangerous and needed to be stopped. Yet there she and Zorcu were, actively assisting a Devil who was much, much worse. What was she going to do? She could try to destroy Zorcu's book to send him back to the World of Devils and prevent him from helping Foncé any further, but she was sure that Foncé would reserve a fate far worse than Arisha's for her for such a betrayal. She could run away, but then she would be all alone again and Auseuil was very remote, making escape improbable.

There was a crunching sound behind her. Jeeno turned around, expecting to find Zorcu. Instead it was the partner of that new recruit, struggling to support the limp body of Mikoro Tosowachi in his arms. She could hear his labored breathing as he worked hard to carry the unconscious girl. He glanced at her, one eye staring eerily from under his fringes.

"What are you doing?" Jeeno whispered, afraid.

The boy looked down at Mikoro's, and then nudged his head urgently toward the town below. She stared at him uncomprehendingly, then realized that he must have wanted to help the poor girl.

"Are you trying to help her?" she asked. He nodded vigorously.

"And you need help?" He nodded again.

She stepped over to him and helped to carry Mikoro. He smiled briefly at her, and they traveled carefully down the hill to the town.

* * *

Griffon raised his arms above his head. "_Chamukkujuugai!_" he cried. Between his outstretched hands a vision formed in mid-air, enlarging and growing clearer. Ishtar and the rest leaned forward, straining to make anything out. Soon the image was large and clear, displaying Foncé, Ken, Yadau, and Foncé's opponents standing on a sidewalk. Griffon quickly rushed to the couch everyone was sitting on to view the action for himself. 

"Go for it, Mistress Foncé!" Ishtar cheered, pumping her arms in the air.

Zorcu glared at the Devil standing opposite Foncé. "A ghost Devil," he growled. "Fuck him up good, Foncé."

* * *

"Shall we?" Foncé offered, as if asking for a dance. Ken brought the dark purple book up, which began to glow. 

"Let's," Kage responded. Higure raised a ghostly, almost transparent book up, glowing with an eerie light. Foncé realized that her opponent possessed the infamous spirit book.

"_Rizaru,_" Higure intoned monotonously.

"_Anheiru!_" Ken called out.

A beam of pure darkness collided with an orb of glowing energy with ghostly faces swarming over the surface and exploded in a swirl of black and white energy. Then both teams were rushing back, not taking their eyes off each other. Yadau danced away, out of the line of fire.

_Right,_ Ken thought, recalling his training over the past few days. Yadau and Griffon had worked hard to prepare his mind and body for the battles yet to come. It had been a little awkward for Griffon since he had to teach Ken how to use his cane as an effective weapon through pantomime, but Yadau was a fountain of battle strategy. He had drilled usefully information into Ken's skull, and those strategies coupled with Foncé's new powers made short work out of Foncé's worthless but surprisingly powerful fiancé, who, aside from Zero, had been the strongest opponent they've fought so far.

"Do not fight the last war," Yadau had advised. "You've got to kill the past, force yourself to do move in new directions. Victory has no exact formula; you must always be on your toes in battle, ready to make new strategies."

"Get ready Foncé," said Ken.

"Yes," she answered.

"_Gigano Rizaru._" A large orb of white light filled with howling ghostly faces came rushing out at them.

"_Gou Anshield!_" Foncé put her arms out and a massive black disk appeared in front of her. Gigano Rizaru slammed into Gou Anshield. Gou Anshield shook from the impact, but stayed intact. Then Kage's spell detonated, but the explosion was strangely subdued.

Higure watched, somewhat puzzled. _Otouto,_ he telepathically said to Kage, _it seems they have a defensive spell strong enough to nullify our strongest spell._

_Second strongest,_ Kage reminded his partner. _We'll just have to catch them while they're wide open. You know what to do._

_Of course._

The spirit book lit up with an unearthly shine. "_Kuranzou,_" Higure intoned.

White, translucent figures oozed up from the pavement, rapidly reshaping themselves into the forms of attractive young women. Soon there were a dozen of the ghostly women standing around. They looked toward Foncé and Ken, and their faces underwent a hideous transformation, their eyes turning red and fangs growing from their mouths. The terrifying specters rushed forward, screeching like the Nazgûl from J. R. R. Tolkien's _The Lord of the Rings_, claws outstretched and tounges dangling down to their chests. Ken cried out in surprise and readied his book. "_Ganzu Anheiru!_"

Foncé began lobbing orbs of condensed darkness at the onrushing horde of pontianak, dissipating a few into vapor, but several made it through and grabbed Ken's wrists, pulling him back. Another grappled with Foncé, trying to hold her still.

Higure smirked. He might not even need Gigano Rizaru for this. "_Rizaru._"

Kage fired a shot at the struggling pair. They were too distracted by the pontianak to resist, so Foncé was wide open when the orb of spirit energy hit her and detonated.

"_Rizaru,_" Higure repeated, pointing at Ken. Kage took aim and fired off another shot of Rizaru, this time striking Ken. The explosion knocked his hat and cane away and flung him back. By now the people trapped in the barrier with them had taken notice of the magical duel and had begun to panic even more.

_Did we finish them?_ asked Kage.

_I don't think—_

"_Darkness Cascade!_"

An throbbing orb of darkness rose up into the air and began to release beams of darkness, seemingly at random. Kage and Higure dodged the shots the strange new spell made, but the remaining pontianak and some of the trapped crowd weren't so fortunate, errant blasts boring through them gruesomely.

Foncé and Ken strode up, slightly battered but looking confident. "_Anheiruga!_" Ken called before Darkness Cascade had begun to fade away. A black corkscrew came blasting at Higure from Foncé's palm. Higure narrowly dodged Anheiruga, but Ken wasn't finished.

"_Teor'anheiru!_" he cried. "_Oruga Anheiru!_ _Gunobion!_"

A massive blast of dark energy exploded forward, followed by a giant helix of darkness. Kage leapt in front of Higure protectively. A pair of black angel wings sprung from his back and folded over the rest of his body just as he was struck head-on by Teor'anheiru. The ghost Devil was forced to take a step back by the tremendous power, but he didn't fall. Then he was hit full-force by Oruga Anheiru. Kage grunted, but didn't yield. These two were the strongest pair they've fought yet.

Oruga Anheiru faded away after a few seconds of fruitlessly drilling at Kage's wings, only to be replaced by a pair of fanged black snakes. They whipped forward and suck their fangs into the sides of Kage's wings and began to pull at them. Kage's jaw tightened as the fangs worked their way into his wings.

Higure could see that Foncé's arms had transformed into long snakes. "Open up my little oyster," Foncé cooed, "so that I may feast upon your innards!" Higure then realized that her partner was no longer by her side. The meaning of this registered immediately, and he dropped to the side just in time avoid a swipe from Ken's cane.

"Nice try, _tovarishch,_" Higure mocked. He rolled over to dodge Ken as he brought the pointed end of the cane down in a stabbing motion and sprang to his feet.

"You want me to open up?" Kage asked. "Fine then!" He flung his wings out as wide as he could stand. The motion dragged Foncé forward with a sudden jerk than threw her off her feet and dislodged the snake arms. Kage turned to help his partner, but one of the snake arms flew past him and another wrapped around his neck, restraining him. The other snake arm sped forward and bit into Higure's wrist, eliciting a grunt of pain from him. The spirit book dropped from Higure's fingers.

"It's mine!" Ken screeched as he delivered a kick to Higure's midsection, knocking him over. Ken then reached down to pick the translucent book up…only for it to pass through his fingers.

"What?" Ken gasped.

"Bloody _vnebrachny,_" Higure swore as he slugged Ken hard enough bring him to his knees. He retrieved the spirit book with his uninjured hand. "Only who was born in darkness can touch the spirit book," he said haughtily. "You may dress dark, but you're just another poser."

Ken began to chuckle, then laugh crazily. "So what if I can't touch your book? The powers of my book are beyond anything you'll ever see in this Battle! _Eijasu Gunobion!_"

The pavement below shook, then burst open, disgorging a large black snake. It opened its mouth wide to reveal its fearsome curved fangs and leapt toward Higure's head. It never reached him. Kage appeared in front of him and blocked the viper's teeth with his arm. It chomped down hard, but faded away into nothingness immediately after the bite.

Foncé stood some distance away, smirking at them.

Higure brought his book up and pointed at Foncé. "_Rizaru._" Kage fired his ghostly orb directly at his dark enemy.

"_Anshield!_" A smaller black shield formed before Foncé in time to protect her from Kage's attack. Kage watched and scowled inwardly.

_That's ten separate spells I've counted so far,_ he thought. _How can they have so many this early?_

* * *

"I'll wager he's scared now!" Imité jeered. "That's it Foncé! Make them squirm!" 

"Deliver the _coup de grâce_!" Ishtar yelled. "Finish them!"

Princesa watched silently, pondering the words of the girl Foncé sent back a little while before. _Foncé may act like your friend, but in the end she'll betray you just like she did me!_

_How many has Foncé betrayed before?_ Princesa wondered. _If I were to fall down would Foncé help me up or leave me behind? We will just have to see now. I am keeping my eyes on you from now on._

* * *

"_Ganjasu Anheiruga!_" 

Multiple beams of darkness erupted from the street below Kage and Higure, forcing them to run to safer ground.

"_Carving Anheiru!_"

Kage and Higure dodged a long, thick beam of darkness from Foncé's hands, blasting a fair-size hole into the pavement with a hatefully muffled black explotion.

"_Anheirusen!_"

Foncé tossed a large, cold spinning orb of darkness at Kage and Higure. She missed, and instead hit and killed some of people trapped in the barrier by mistake. Neither she nor Kage cared.

"_Londo Anheiru!_"

Higure jumped to avoid the black whip Foncé began swinging at them.

"_Anheiruga Cobra!_"

Shadows twisted and melded together, taking the shape of a titanic black cobra with purple eyes. It towered above Kage and Higure and hissed menacingly at them, slithering slowly and deliberately forward. Kage and Higure backed slowly away, not taking their eyes off the giant snake.

"What's the matter?" Ken jeered. "Aren't you going to fight back? Or were those all the spells you had? Go ahead, try to stop our cobra with your ghost army!"

_Nii-san,_ said Kage, _there's only one thing left to do now._

_The fourth spell? _

_Yes._

_Really? You asked me not to read it until an exceptional situation._

_This is an exceptional situation. When Yadau told us this fight would be different he really meant it. I counted fifteen spells from them. I would be lucky to have that many should I survive the entire Devil Battle. For them to have that many now is impossible. On top of that, Lady Ying's spell attribute is darkness, meaning that as long as it's night her power and stamina are effectively doubled, so we can't try to outlast them. It's an extreme gamble, but our only chance is to put all of our heart energy into the fourth spell and destroy them with a single attack._

_Very well then._

Higure opened the spirit book and flipped to the page their newest spell had appeared. So new that they had yet to test it, but that was about to change.

"Actually," Higure said calmly, "we have another spell, one stronger than all of your cheap little gimmicks combined. Now watch carefully."

Kage raised his hands to the heavens above. His eyes gleamed red as a nimbus of light exploded from the spirit book.

_Here goes nothing,_ Higure thought. "_The fourth spell,_ _Ragnarökium Vaxagore._"

A pillar of energy formed above everyone within the domed barrier. A chorus of ghastly shrieks pierced the air as legions of misshapen spirits soared toward the column. A hulking dark shape appeared within the column, a massive black European dragon. The monster had claws the color of ivory, a orange-brown underbelly, a pair of horns on its head, and burning fire-orange eyes. It spread its wings and gave a thundering roar that could be heard by people half a kilometer away.

"What is that?" Ken whispered to Foncé, hardly believing his eyes.

* * *

"_Bahamut?!_" Ishtar shrieked with outrage. She left her seat and crossed straight up to the magical screen Griffon had conjured up for them. "_It can't be! They control the king of dragons! MY king of dragons!_"

* * *

Higure somehow managed to pull himself away from Bahamut to his book. He could now read a line after Ragnarökium Vaxagore. "_Mega Flare,_" he read aloud.

Bahamut opened its maw, energy gathering inside, condensing into a tight ball glowing like a miniature sun. Even the Anheiruga Cobra stared as the ball slowly grew in size.

Anheiruga Cobra opened its mouth wide and lunged at Bahamut, its fangs ready to pierce the monster. Bahamut lowered its head to face Anheiruga Cobra, and unleashed a blinding beam of pure destructive force. It streaked downward, entering Anheiruga Cobra's open mouth. The beam tore through the snake's throat, completely annihilating the beast and gouging a large crater in the street.

Foncé glared at the beast hovering above them, knowing that it wouldn't be long before the beam was turned on them. "Ken?" she said.

The dark purple book began to glow violently, black arcs of dark energy crackling around it and Ken. "_Huang'ou Anheiruga!_" he bellowed. Streams of black energy burst from Foncé's mouth and palms, combining into a massive Oriental phoenix. It had been a long time since they had last used Huang'ou Anheiruga, but Ken and Foncé saw right away that something was different this time. The energy was more violent, and small, evil looking dark sprites appeared, circling around them. Huang'ou was larger and more defined, it's burning violet eyes filled with hate. It rose up to meet Bahamut.

"What happened?" asked Ken, looking at the evil spirits entwining around him.

"When I awakened," said Foncé, "so did Huang'ou."

The evil phoenix streaked through the air toward the dragon. "_HUANG'OUUUUUUU!_" it wailed in a somehow disturbing mingling of hate and sorrow.

"Behold Ken!" cried Foncé, the evil specters swirling around her dizzyingly. "The true power of Huang'ou!"

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I wonder if this is the first English language _Konjiki no Gash!_ fan-fiction to make use of Russian language cursing._


	36. Level 36: Ragnarökium Vaxagore

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Kage is property of Duskmon Kimura._

_Arisha, Mikoro, and Dantes are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 36: ****ホアンオウ・アンヘイルガ対ラグナロキウム・バクサゴル**

**Level 36: Huang'ou Anheiruga Versus Ragnarökium Vaxagore**

_Oh my dearest Foncé, that was the most magnificent thing I have ever seen! I'm so glad she's alright. I sure was worried for a moment there!_

_She promises new adventure and danger. I'm not afraid—as long as she's by my side, as long as she holds my hand, I'm invulnerable! The future is ours now!_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar**_

* * *

"_HUANG'OUUUUUUU!_" the monstrous black phoenix wailed, its cry a twisted combination of hate and sorrow. 

"Behold Ken! The true power of Huang'ou!" declared Foncé triumphantly. "A power of endless despair and torment!"

It had come back to Foncé when Serpenté woke up. Before Serpenté had entered the Devil Battle she found some phoenix eggs high in a mountain and, feeling mischievous, rolled them off the side to them shattering on some sharp rocks. Unfortunately for her, the mother phoenix chose that time to return to the nest and discovered that some malicious witch of a girl had destroyed its eggs. Enraged and grief-stricken, the phoenix fiercely attacked Serpenté with its claws and beak, but Serpenté managed to kill the poor creature with her power over darkness. But Serpenté wasn't content to just kill the phoenix; no, rather than allowing it the peace of eternal rest, Serpenté bound the phoenix to her phenomenal will, converting it into a spell of awesome dark power that she christened Huang'ou Anheiruga in a process that rarely happened in Foncé's time. It was easier to just inherit such spells from parents that to go out and kill powerful animals yourself, and the practice was frowned upon by the more politically correct types. It wasn't totally unknown for a Devil child to go out and create a new spell that way now though; a prodigy student named Wiseman saved the Devil Academy from a rampaging dragon, first by subduing it with his power over mental domination, then killing it and converting it into a spell he called Killdeathzoru.

Over time, as Serpenté died and resurrected, Huang'ou fell into a deep slumber along with its mistress, its power and grief diminished, becoming little more than just another spell to fling at enemies. But now Serpenté was awake once more, and with her Huang'ou. Foncé could feel the beast's poisonous hate for her, its despair for its lost young even after all this time.

"Foncé!" Ken cried, alarmed at the dark spirits crawling over him. "What's going on?"

"That's the evil it has accumulated over the years," Foncé grimly explained. "I've trained it to feed on sorrow and evil, and the excess power is rubbing off on us. Don't fight it Ken—soak it up. It will grant you even greater power!"

Ken looked up at the two monsters facing each other in mid air. "Greater power?" he inquired. "I'll endure anything for that."

* * *

After asking some directions, Jeeno and Dantes arrived at the most qualified place in Auseuil to take Mikoro to. Jeeno frantically pounded on the heavy door as Dantes held Mikoro. _Please be there!_ Jeeno thought. 

There was a clicking sound from the other side of the door, and it swung inward to reveal the kindly face of Father Caïn.

"Why hello my child," he greeted. "What troubles you today?"

"A friend of mine is hurt," said Jeeno, motioning to Mikoro. "Can you please help us?"

Caïn took a look at Mikoro and nodded his head. "Bring her in. I'll prepare a space for her."

* * *

"So _that's_ Huang'ou Anheiruga!" Imité whispered, transfixed by the events unfolding across the magic screen. 

Griffon stared at the image of Huang'ou, remembering it as Sabré's strongest spell, but this Huang'ou Anheiruga was much more evil looking than the one Sabré had used. Seeing it filled him with a strange new respect for Lady Serpenté, and he wondered what was running through Yadau's mind watching the battle play out.

* * *

_So you're back to you true magnificence, Huang'ou,_ thought Yadau as he backed away from the two magical titans. _This is going to get ugly._

Higure narrowed his eyes, wondering about just how many spells Foncé might have. If they won and that Yadau character came back down he was going to turn all of Kage's spells on him. It was clear to him that even though the winged freak had permitted them to fight on their own turf he had subtly tried to stack the odds against them by having the fight at night to give Foncé's spells more power. It was obvious to him that Foncé and Yadau were in cahoots by their brief interactions.

But now was not the time to think about such things.

_Nii-san…_

_I know, otouto._ The spirit book shone again. The dark _fenghuang_ looked powerful, but Bahamut had the advantage of a distance attack.

"_Mega Flare._"

The king of dragons opened its mouth once more, its Mega Flare prepared much faster now. With a roar it expelled the blinding white ray at the black phoenix. It struck Huang'ou dead on in the chest, provoking a screech of anger from the mighty bird. Yet it continued forward, pushing relentlessly against the energy beam. The attack that effortlessly destroyed Anheiruga Cobra was only making Huang'ou mad.

Higure grimaced, and started pouring more of his dark spiritual energy into the spell. Mega Flare increased in size, but it was too late—Huang'ou reached Bahamut and bit into its neck. Then something began to happen. Thin beams of white light erupted from Huang'ou's body, and black fire curled from under Bahamut's scales. In only a few seconds, before the eyes of everyone left in the hemispherical barrier, the two magical creatures started to dissolve and run together like wet paint. Soon there was just a massive burning orb of swirling blacks and whites.

Yadau landed behind Foncé and Ken and folded his wings around them like a shield. "Quickly!" the An'uuto urged. "Face me and not the orb!"

"What's happening?" Higure asked, dumbfounded.

"_Nii-san! Get down!_" Kage called. Higure dropped to the pavement and lay flat. Kage leapt atop him and extended his wings protectively.

The orb of light burst, exploding outward with an eerily dull roar. A vast ring extended from the center and slammed into the sides of the barrier, shattering it in a hail of dissipating shards of green energy. The shock wave continued expanding, generating enough force to shatter the windows along Orchard Road and knock out the power throughout most of Singapore. A news helicopter circling the barrier was incinerated instantly. The ring left nothing but devastation and a howling wind in its wake.

* * *

The group in Château de Fouché stared in awe at the screen. They held their breath in anticipation. 

_Please come back Mistress Foncé,_ thought Ishtar, her eyes wide and frightened. _Don't let this be the end of you._

Imité clutched the black silk ribbon Ishtar gave him earlier with a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach. _I was too busy with Aoi to see Foncé leave,_ he thought, remembering the glare Ishtar gave him as she thrust the ribbon into his hand and explained what happened. _If she fails now I'll never forgive myself!_

* * *

The technicians sat in silence, awaiting their master's decision. Muyau'uon had been silent the entire battle, content to simply observe and analyze. 

Finally, the behemoth An'uuto rumbled, _I have made my decision._

* * *

The wind began to die down, and only then did Yadau spread his wings apart. "Are you alright?" he asked, his voice full of concern. 

"Yes," Ken answered.

"I think so," said Foncé.

_Yadau…_Muyauwamu's voice rang in Yadau's head.

_My lord?_ Yadau replied. _You've reached a decision?_

_I've analyzed the data and confirmed beyond any doubt that it is her. Bring her to me when possible._

_Yes my lord._

Kage slowly got off his surrogate brother and surveyed the damage done.

_Otouto, did we get them?_ asked Higure.

_No; Yadau protected them like I protected you._

_Shit._

Higure got to his feet and glared at his opponents. Indeed, he could see that they looked perfectly fine. He clutched the spirit book tightly even though he had next to no energy left in him. _Get ready otouto…_

"The battle is over," Yadau stated.

Higure was taken aback. "_What?_" he demanded, not sure if he heard him correctly.

"The battle is over," Yadau repeated. "There's no need to fight any further. We've accomplished what we set out to do. We will leave you now."

"No," Foncé said. "Not yet."

Yadau was surprised. "Lady Serpenté, I—"

Foncé walked toward Kage and gestured widely to the destruction surrounding them. "Look what we did together, General Kage." she said, smiling softly. "Such a spectacular power you have…Think of how much more we can do together!"

Ken's jaw dropped. _No! Not again!_

Kage regarded her silently, then smiled slightly. "Perhaps," he said quietly. "Let's meet again sometime, Lady Ying. I want to fight you again when our powers have more fully developed."

Foncé nodded respectfully. "I see." She turned and walked back to Ken and Yadau. "_Jusqu'à notre prochaine rencontre, Général Kage,_" she uttered. 

She and Ken each took one of Yadau's hands. Yadau closed his eyes and sharply said, "_Gaigai!_" There was a flash of bright green light and the trio was gone.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: I hope you think I protrayed you well Kimura. _


	37. Level 37: Wanshamuhau

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Arisha, Mikoro, and Dantes are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 37: 晩上好, 蛇泰公**

**Level 37: Wanshamuhau, Serpenté-Kamu**

_So much excitement. My dear mistress was so tired, but she promised a big celebration for us all tomorrow! How wonderful! Mistress sure is generous, is she not Journal? _

—**_from the Journal of Ishtar_**

* * *

Foncé and Ken were greeted with open arms (Foncé more so) when Yadau returned them to Château de Fouché, and there was much rejoicing even if Foncé didn't actually destroy Kage's spirit book. Foncé and Ken were very tired by then though, so they retired to their rooms very quickly to recuperate. Foncé promised that they could celebrate the following night though, after some rest and preparation. They fell asleep as soon as their heads touched their pillows.

* * *

Mikoro stirred and groaned, her head throbbing. Her eyes fluttered open. It was dark and she wondered if she had dreamed meeting the pale, effeminate boy who had kicked her in the head. But then why did her head hurt so much? Had the dream been so real that it had given her a headache? 

She sat up slowly, trying to take in her surroundings. She could feel that she was in a bed. She saw that she was in a small, modestly furnished room that she couldn't recognize. Mikoro blinked, wondering if perhaps she was still dreaming.

A door creaked open behind her. She turned around and found a kindly looking elderly man in a black cassock leaning on a cane for support, and behind him was…

Mikoro blinked, scarcely believing her eyes. "Jeeno?"

Jeeno smiled sadly. "_Bonsoir_, Mikoro."

Mikoro looked past Jeeno and saw an unfamiliar boy standing behind her. "Where am I?" she asked.

"This is my home," the man in the cassock answered. "I'm Caïn, the priest of Auseuil, but I used to be a medic so you friend brought you to me. That was quite a nasty bruise on your there! You were out cold for hours! What happened?"

"The last thing I remember," said Mikoro, "is being kicked in the head by a strange boy."

"_Kicked?_" asked Caïn, alarmed. "I thought someone hit you with a blunt instrument of some kind. A bruise like that couldn't be caused by a limb unless your attacker was unusually strong."

Mikoro looked around. "I think I'm fine now. Where are Arisha and my book?"

"Arisha? Book?" Caïn shook his head. "Your friends only brought you in."

Mikoro felt a sense of panic rise up inside her. "But Arisha—she was just standing next to me. She's a little girl with long black hair with purple streaks. You haven't seen anyone like that?"

"I'm afraid not."

"Father," said Jeeno quietly, "can we talk to Mikoro alone?"

"Certainly," Caïn nodded. He moved past Jeeno and the mysterious boy and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Mikoro looked at her friend. "Jeeno?" she asked in a frightened voice. The girl looked tormented with grief and regret.

"Arisha's…gone," Jeeno finally said, avoiding Mikoro's eyes.

"Gone?" It was as if all the strength left Mikoro's body. She sagged over, her eyes stunned. "_Arisha…_" she whispered as tears began to form. She refused to believe yet she knew it was true. Her good friend was gone forever now, and she didn't even get to say good-bye. She felt sickeningly _empty_ now.

Jeeno began to cry too. "I'm so sorry!" she sobbed. "I couldn't do anything! I tried but…"

Jeeno couldn't say anything further, and broke up into uncontrollable sobbing.

* * *

Foncé opened her eyes. A glance at the window told her that it was nighttime. Her body felt fresh and active, rejuvenated by the cool darkness. 

_Such a beautiful night,_ she thought as she sat up. _I can't just spend it in here._

She rubbed the remaining sleep out of her eyes and scampered out of her room. As far as she could tell, the lights were off all over the castle, so she guessed it must have been very late indeed. _Well I'm wide awake now—What shall I do this beautiful night?_

A bit of wandering later, it was evident to Foncé that everyone had gone to sleep, even the other Creatures of the Night. She sighed; with no one around to talk to she might as well get back to finishing that copy of _Harry Potter et le Prisonnier d'Azkaban_ Fouché had lying around, even though she had decided that it was her least favorite in young Harry's adventures so far.

Foncé made her way to the bookshelf where she had last put it and removed the large hardbound edition. Fouché owned the rest of the series and Foncé briefly scanned the other titles. _Harry Potter à l'École des Sorciers_. _Harry Potter et la Chambre des Secrets_. _Harry Potter et la Coupe de Feu_. _Harry Potter et l'Ordre du Phénix_. _Harry Potter et le Prince de Sang-Mêlé_.

Foncé made a mental note to track down the Harry Potter books in the language they were originally written in just in case something had been lost in translation as she turned around to find a good couch to read her book on.

"Is the night calling out for you too?"

Foncé's heart nearly stopped in her chest from the shock, but she managed to keep her outward composure. "_Ginwan shi, Yadau,_" Foncé said dryly in Yadau's native tongue, without turning around.

"_Wanshamuhau, Serpenté-Kamu,_" Yadau replied respectfully.

"So is something troubling you?" Foncé climbed onto a couch and set _Prisonnier d'Azkaban_ to the side.

"Nothing at all, my lady." Yadau was back in his human disguise, dressed in a red shirt and blue trousers. "Like you, the night calls to my blood. There isn't much difference between Creatures of the Night and An'uuto."

"Indeed."

Yadau sat across from his mistress. "It's been a while since we've talked together like this, just the two of us."

"A while? It's been several millennia. Back when I had my original, beautiful body." Foncé held up her small hands and slowly turned them around, inspecting them. "Before I had to rely on this stunted little incarnation. You got to keep your gorgeous true form, but I have to be a little girl again." Her tone was bitter.

Yadau stood up and crossed over to Foncé. He knelt before her and gently took her left hand into his own. "You're as beautiful as ever," he said, pressing his lips to the back of her hand. "I think that new lover of yours would agree."

"New lover?" Foncé asked. "You don't mean Ishtar do you? It's not like that."

Yadau stood up. "You two seem awfully close. She certainly loves you very much."

"I know she does. I love her too, but I'm not _in love_ with her." She sighed and lowered her head. "Still, she's the only one who's willing to fall in love with me as I am now."

"She can see you for what you really are. I would return her love if I were you."

"But it's not her I love! It's Ken! I love _Ken!_" Foncé exclaimed. She abruptly covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her embarrassment. How could she just let her emotions take over like that, giving in to childish outbursts? Foncé swore inwardly; emotions were the damnedest things.

"Just as you loved Lord Fudimo," Yadau stated.

"Just as I loved _every_ bookkeeper I've had," Foncé groaned. "Each of my incarnations have unconsciously tried to live out my first life to varying degrees. Each time I fell in love with my partner. My last incarnation, Dernié, had a female bookkeeper, Livia Augusta, and they—_we_—became lovers. It's a conditioned reflex, one that inevitably leads to pain since I will always be wrenched away from my partner sooner or later."

"So love someone else this time!" Yadau urged. "Break the cycle—you've regained your memories and can learn from past mistakes. You just admitted to loving another girl, so why don't you just get together with Ishtar?"

"I need to have a man," Foncé answered. "It's essential that I produce a female heir. I must give birth to a girl to continue living after death. When you come right down to it, the entire Ying clan exists solely to provide new bodies for my spirit to indwell. My daughter Morté became my second incarnation, her daughter Rosé became my third incarnation, and so on. But in nearly every case I married only to continue the line, not for love. I was rarely ever happy after returning from the Battles. If I loose this time I'll most likely be forced into marrying Shengde, continuing the tradition of post-Battle unhappiness."

"You could keep Ishtar around as your 'special companion'," Yadau suggested.

"Did I not say just a little while ago that we don't have that kind of relationship?" Foncé grumbled.

"But you've considered it," Yadau countered. "You said she's the only one willing to love you as you are now, that you have little hope of finding someone else."

"That isn't what I meant."

"Does Ken know you love him?"

"He knows well enough that I love him."

"How so?"

"I've kissed him."

"Where?"

"On his cheek."

"That's it?"

"For the moment."

"Does he know that you're in love with him, or does he think you're merely being affectionate?"

Foncé was silent.

"Well?"

"Alright, he doesn't know how I _really_ feel about him."

"And do you plan on telling him any time soon?"

Silence again.

"Lady Serpenté?"

"…No," Foncé finally answered, feeling as though she just punched herself in the stomach. She was loath to actually admit it, but she knew it just couldn't be.

"Why not?"

"Because…because there's no way he would accept my love," Foncé said quietly. "No matter what, I'd still just be a child to him, in his eyes."

Yadau nodded. "I see. So why don't you just go with the one who actually has feelings for you?"

"Why are you so insistent all of a sudden?" Foncé asked sharply. "Does it excite you that a girl is in love with me? Is that it?"

"I merely wish to help you, Lady Serpenté. I don't want you to be hurt again."

"I can make my own decisions," Foncé said. "I don't need your help."

"I'm just throwing out suggestions."

Foncé pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. She knew Yadau only meant to help, and in truth she was beginning to wonder if she did feel an attraction of some sort to Ishtar. She couldn't put her finger on what she found attractive about the girl in first place though. The feelings she had were strange and unlike any she knew off, different from her attractions to Ken, Fudimo, and the rest of her bookkeepers, even Livia. The best she could describe was as a sort of peculiar fascination. Not being able to understand such a feeling was simply maddening to her, like an itch she couldn't scratch.

"I just don't understand how I feel about Ishtar myself," Foncé said with a slightly sad note, more than she intended to.

"You know," said Yadau, "I really should've brought you to Cuilü Island by now. I convinced Lord Muyauwamu that you and Ken would need rest, but he wants to see you soon."

"I trust he'll allow my friends to come with us?"

"Yes, although he's interested only in you and Ken."

"Alright," Foncé said, "Now, would you mind explaining who this Muyauwamu is and what he wants with me?"

Yadau hesitated, looking uneasy.

"I'm not going anywhere until I know," said Foncé as she crossed her arms.

"You'll find out in time."

"No Yadau; I need to know if I can trust you on this."

"When have I done you wrong before?" Yadau pleaded. "I woke you up! If I meant you harm—"

"Yadau."

The An'uuto looked at Foncé nervously, and then lowered his head. He explained everything. Minutes later, Foncé sank back into the couch, bewildered and dazed.

"I can't believe it," she whispered, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. "I just can't believe it."

"It's true," said Yadau, "every word of it."

Foncé glanced out the window, the faint light of dawn just beginning to tint the darkness. Once again, her life had just gone topsy-turvy. _Will the surprises ever cease? _

"I promised them that we would have a celebration first," said Foncé, "so we're still going through with that. But as soon as we're done we're going straight to Cuilü Island."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Ooh, a big secret! What could it be? You'll just have to read more to find out! Please read and review!_


	38. Level 38: Rage

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Arisha, Mikoro, Zorcu, Jeeno, Kin, and Dantès are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 38: 怒髪衝天**

**Level 38: Rage**

_Why couldn't I have been happy with what I had? Why did I have to presume so much? Ruined, everything's ruined because of me…_

—**_from the Journal of Ishtar_**

* * *

"I have an idea," said Yadau. "For the party I mean." 

"Oh?" Foncé responded.

"Let's make it a costume party. With my magic I can create just about any kind of garment you can imagine!"

"I see. I remember now," Foncé said. She was leaning her head against her arm and staring out at the dawn's early light. Yadau frowned; she clearly wasn't paying much attention to him. It was understandable since he just sprung what was a massive revelation to her, but that's why he initially kept it from her in the first place.

"I can make a special costume for everyone. No one will know each other's costume—except for me, of course—until tonight when the party gets underway. It'll be a lot of fun!"

"I'm sure," came Foncé's murmuring reply.

Yadau threw up his hands. "I know what I just said was very startling, but try to enjoy yourself here! You'll have a good time, and then we'll go to Cuilü Island. I promise. Now can I make a costume for you?"

Foncé slowly turned to her old friend and stared at him for a moment. "Well…"

"I have an idea." Yadau got up and moved to a small table. He spread his hands out to the empty surface. "_Jiuuto Chuppyan Mahatsu!_" he intoned.

A swirling maelstrom of darkness formed over the tabletop, solidifying and taking a distinct shape. Seconds later, Yadau stepped back to admire his handiwork. "It's ready," he said with a smile.

Foncé took a look at the object on the table, puzzled. "A suit of armor and a sword?"

"A light, elegant suit of armor and sword," Yadau clarified. He carefully picked up the shining child-sized knight's armor and held it to Foncé. "To symbolize the confidence your leadership inspires within us, Lady Serpenté. You are our dark heroine, savior, saint, deliverer."

Foncé eyed the material for a second, then took it from Yadau to inspect it closer. "You know," she said, "I'm beginning to like this."

Yadau clapped his hands. "I'm glad you like it. I'll get to work making more costumes."

"I'll go try this on in my room," Foncé said, carrying her costume with as she went for the door. "Thank you again Yadau."

Yadau smiled. "Any time, my mistress."

* * *

Jeeno and Dantès slowly made their way back to Châteaux de Fouché. Mikoro had physically recovered, but was still shattered from loosing Arisha. Father Caïn had offered to take her back to where her parents were staying in a town nearby, but Arisha declined, feeling that she could make her way back on her own. She had thanked Jeeno and Dantes for their help. 

Jeeno opened the front door, not bothering to let anyone know that they had returned. Even so, Kin happened to be skipping by when they came in. She stopped and turned to them. "Hi!" she greeted. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Jeeno said glumly.

"Great! You'd better go see Yadau for your costumes! I'm a—"

"Now Kin, don't ruin the surprise." Yadau walked in and clamped a hand on Kin's shoulder.

"Oh! Right!" Kin covered her mouth with her hands.

"Costume?" asked Jeeno.

"Why, for the party tonight."

"A party?" Jeeno felt bile rise inside her throat. "Are you really that proud of yourself, standing by while a mob beat up a defenseless Devil whose partner wasn't even conscious?" she asked, her tone acidic.

"That?" Yadau asked with a chuckle. "No, that was a party unto itself. You must not have been here when Lady Serpenté battled an especially powerful Devil. We're celebrating over that. So, what say you come to my room and I'll whip up something special for you? I already chose an interesting little number out for Zorcu."

"Thanks but no thanks," said Jeeno flatly.

Yadau stepped toward her, smiling. "Oh come now," he said as he reached out stroke her chin. Jeeno recoiled from his touch and glared at him. Unfazed, Yadau continued. "I can look deep into your soul and find an outfit to match it. I can create any sort of costume, woven from the essence of darkness itself."

"I said 'no'!"

"Ah, come on!" Kin urged. "It'll be fun! You'll join in, won't you Dantès?"

Dantès looked at his Devil, then at Yadau.

"What do you say, beautiful?" asked the An'uuto.

"He doesn't say much of anything, really," Kin remarked. "You best not ask him things like that."

Jeeno took Dantès' hand. "Come on, let's get out of here." To her surprise though, Dantès shook his head and stepped up to Yadau. "Dantès!" she cried out, shocked.

"You want to see what I can do for you?" Yadau asked.

Dantès nodded.

Yadau grinned. "Great! Come down to my room! We'll find something just right for you!"

Jeeno watched, dismayed, as Dantès walked off with Yadau. She practically felt betrayed. How could he so readily join a party these depraved monsters would throw?

* * *

Foncé's mind was firmly occupied by the news Yadau had given her, and it had been from the second he told her. Her own feelings were stormy and conflicted, simultaneously relieved, scared, anxious, nervous, angry, and confused. Very, _very_ confused. But even with her so focused on her own questions she was unable to suppress her physical needs. 

In other words, when her stomach began to growl loudly and painfully, she was forced to leave her solitude to have some breakfast.

Foncé entered the dinning room. A quick glace around the room told her that Ken, Mistera, Princesa, Aoi, Squalor, and Griffon were in attendance. From the sounds and smells coming from the kitchen Foncé deduced that Ishtar and Imité were cooking the food. Being one of the Ying clan, Imité was well trained in cooking, and Ishtar had turned out to be quite competent at cooking as well. Foncé was a splendid cook herself of course, having had so long to perfect her talent over her many lives, but now she was too short to properly access the counter and stove. She could have used a toy stove if she really wanted to, but she found the idea demeaning.

"_Bonjour,_ everyone," Foncé mumbled as she entered. She took a seat next to Ken and stared sightlessly at the shiny tabletop.

"Well, if it isn't one of our little lovebirds!" Ken said.

Foncé blinked. _Lovebirds?_ The strange statement cut through her thoughts like a hot knife though butter. She gave Ken a questioning look. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, don't be shy!" Mistera giggled. "It's perfectly alright!"

Squalor snorted. "Alright? No; it's just twisted, that's what it is!"

Foncé began to feel frustrated, and adding frustration to the stress she already had was like throwing fuel on a fire. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"You and your girlfriend, what else?" Aoi said. "I'm not really for that type of thing, but it's your choice right?"

"A little girl and an adolescent!" Squalor interjected. "I don't care if that's what Devils do! It's just not right!"

"Don't listen to him!" Mistera countered. "It's beautiful how you two have come together!"

Foncé felt anger rising inside of her. Did they really think that she—

"_Foncé!_"

Foncé suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her in a tight embrace. "Ishtar," she said flatly.

The young fortuneteller rubbed her cheek against Foncé's lovingly. "Good morning, my dear Foncé! Your brother and I worked hard on a great breakfast for you and everyone else!"

Imité popped up next to Foncé and set a plate of food in front of her. Foncé didn't notice what the food was; she was too busy staring straight ahead and slowly clenching her hands into tight balls.

"I knew you two would go great together!" Imité said, smiling broadly.

"Aren't they adorable?" cooed Mistera. A vein began to throb on Foncé's temple.

"At first I didn't believe it," said Ken, "but now that I see it, it somehow seems perfect."

Out of the corner of her eye, Foncé saw that Princesa was smiling ever so slightly. Foncé felt like a teakettle ready to explode.

"Ishtar."

Ishtar released Foncé and moved to her side. "Yes?"

"Did you tell everyone that we're in a relationship?" Foncé asked, her voice perfectly calm.

Ishtar broke into a big smile. "You make me so happy that I just had to say how I felt this morning! I—"

Foncé's arm whipped out and backhanded the side of Ishtar's face with a sharp snap. Ishtar cried out and recoiled, putting a hand to her stinging cheek. She stared at Foncé with shocked, confused eyes. Her lips parted to say something, but Foncé fixed such an intense, angry glare on her that she froze in place.

"There's nothing between the two of us!" Foncé hissed, her eyes smoldering coals. "_Nothing._ How _dare_ you presume that I would fall in love with you?! You dirty little…little _peasant!_"

Ishtar stared back stupidly at Foncé, her clear blue eyes huge and terrified. She looked like she was about to burst into tears any second. Foncé felt a savage satisfaction at seeing her so frightened. She whirled around to face her startled comrades at the other side of the table. Imité was in the middle of serving Mistera her breakfast and still hadn't put her plate down. Everyone's eyes were on Foncé. No one spoke, leaving a frightened silence in the air. Everyone, even Princesa and Griffon, looked shocked.

"And _you,_" Foncé seethed, "you think I'm cute, think I'm sweet, think I'm so damned _adorable_ because I'm a little girl, don't you?"

"No!" Mistera squeaked fearfully. "We—"

"_Shut up!_" Foncé roared, slamming her fists onto the table. Mistera cried out and tried to sink into her chair. "I'm an ancient _monster._ You follow me because I'm older, smarter, stronger, and more experienced than any of you. You are to _fear_ me because I am a _goddess_ by your standards."

Foncé's face was turning red, and became contorted with an unholy rage. "_So if I hear any of you laughing at me again I'LL JUST KILL ALL OF YOU!_" she shrieked.

With that, she snatched up her plate of food and hopped out of her seat. The stormed over to the door and stomped out.

A queasy silence fell over the room. Everyone was shaken by what they had just witnessed. Even Ken, whom Foncé hadn't threatened, was trembling in his seat.

The silence was shattered by a loud sob. The tears had finally begun to flow. Ishtar shuddered violently and buried her face in her hands. She suddenly bolted for the door too, sobbing uncontrollably.

Griffon peered around, terribly confused. Not for the first time since being revived, he wished that he could understand what everyone around him was saying.

* * *

Dantès examined his costume carefully. Yadau smiled, feeling proud of himself. "Like it?" he asked. 

Dantès looked up at Yadau and nodded.

The An'uuto grinned. "Great! I knew you'd like it! Now be sure not to let anyone else see it!"

Dantès nodded and carefully tucked his new costume into a large plastic bag. He placed the bag over his shoulder and left immediately after.

Yadau leaned back in his seat and stretched. How fortunate it was that Lady Serpenté had been able to gather such attractive allies and followers. It was like she was making up for the hideous Devils she allied herself with so long ago. Sure there had been that handsome vampire Devil, but most of them had just been ugly, and to a Kumemu like Yadau ugliness was a sin in itself. Likewise, beauty was a virtue to the Kumemu, and Yadau had generally found all of Lady Serpenté's new allies to be beautiful. Imité's bookkeeper was the exception, but Yadau let it slide.

A smile spread across Yadau's face. Yes, the party was going to be a smash. It was a good way to cap off their stay at Auseuil. Now, if only the rest of the gang would show up for their costumes…

* * *

Ishtar sobbed miserably into her pillow. She had gone straight to her room and had crawled under her covers. 

_I blew it! I blew it and now she hates me forever!_

There was a gentle knock at the door. "_Ishtar?_" It was Mistera.

"Go away!" Ishtar cried back. "I'm dead!"

"_Please come out Ishtar. I'm sure she didn't mean it._"

"She did too! I could feel it coming from her!"

"_Please Ishtar, come out. Want to watch one of your _Avatar_ D.V.D.'s?_"

"No! It just reminds me of her!"

"_Can I read you something? You always like it when I read to you._"

Ishtar buried herself into the sheets further. "Just leave me alone Mistera!"

"_Ishtar…_"

She could no longer hear Mistera talking any more, so Ishtar went back to wallowing in a mixture of self-pity and self-loathing. Already she felt sick from Foncé's absence. She stayed like that for a long time, not moving, just crying. Then she heard the door swing open and then shut. "I told you I want to be alone Mistera!" she said bitterly.

A weight pressed down on the bedside and Ishtar felt a hand gently rub her back. "Hello Ishtar," came a sensual and throaty yet queerly mechanical voice. It definitely wasn't Mistera.

Ishtar popped her head out from under the covers and turned to look at her visitor. Sitting next to her was the tall, voluptuous form of Princesa.

"Leave me alone," Ishtar moaned. She covered her head with her sheets and hoped that Princesa would take the hint. Instead, she felt Princesa's fingers drum along the sheet over her back.

"I shall do no such thing," the historian said plainly. "Now tell me everything that is wrong."

"I'll tell you what's wrong!" Ishtar snapped. "Foncé hates me!" She began to sob loudly again. Princesa sympathetically patted Ishtar's back. "I'm so stupid," she gurgled. "It seemed like all the signs were there, but I guess she just wanted to be friends. I presumed too much and made her mad. Now I don't think she even wants to be my friend any more. I ruined everything."

"Ishtar," said Princesa, "it will be okay. There will be others."

"_No!_" Ishtar screamed. The very thought of trying to leave Foncé's group was making her feel almost violently ill. It very well bordered on blasphemy. "I can never do that!"

"Yes you can. You just have to walk away."

"That's what I can't do!" Ishtar sniffled. "I _need_ Foncé. Whenever she's gone too long I start to feel terrible. And when I'm with I start to feel really…good. She has this…_effect_…on me that no other person has."

"Ishtar," Princesa said, her voice serious, "if you want my opinion…I do not think you should stay attached to Foncé."

"No!" cried Ishtar.

"Please listen—"

Ishtar clamped her hands over her ears. "_No!_ I won't listen!"

Princesa suddenly grabbed Ishtar by the arms and with startling strength managed to pry her hands away from her ears. Ishtar squirmed and fought back as hard as she could, but Princesa was much stronger than her.

"Please," pleaded Princesa, "I think she is dangerous and that she will hurt you eventually."

"Because I deserve it!" Ishtar wailed, tears flowing copiously.

"No!" Princesa responded sharply. "You need to stop thinking like that!"

"What do you care?" Ishtar spat. "You don't know me!"

"Did you not compare me to a friend of that character you compare yourself to in that _Avatar_ program?" asked Princesa.

Ishtar remembered and calmed down a bit. "Yeah, I said you were like Mai," she sniffed.

"That sounded like an invitation of friendship to me. You invited me to watch your show with you. That one gesture was more than anything Aoi has done for me."

Ishtar's eyes went wide, hardly believing what she just heard. "What? No way! She's your partner! You're supposed to get along well!"

"We barely talk to each other. Only when it is necessary." Princesa sighed and glanced down at the floor. "That is how it has been for much of my life, really."

Ishtar pushed herself into a sitting position. "That sounds really lonely."

"I had no idea how lonely I really was until I joined Foncé's group. I had been alone for much of my life, so I was not bothered when Aoi was not interested in knowing more about me. Our relationship was built on business, not friendship. But when I saw her getting close to Imité I began to feel…jealous. Snubbed, as if there were something wrong about me."

"Well, you do talk kind of funny," said Ishtar. "It's a bit weird to listen to."

"Really?" Princesa asked with a slight smile. "I knew I sounded somewhat different from others, but no one has commented on it before."

"So why do you talk like that?"

Princesa chuckled. "My brain works very fast. So fast that my mouth cannot keep up with my thoughts. My tongue trips and twists over words if I do not spend a second to think about what I wish to say, so I must speak slowly and deliberately."

"Oh, I see." Ishtar scratched the back of her head. "I want to be your friend…"

Princesa's eyes widened ever so slightly. Ishtar could see hope flicker faintly in them.

"…but not if you doubt Foncé." Ishtar's voice grew hard. "Even if she hates me I still love her, and if think of betraying her I'll burn your book myself."

Princesa got off of the bed, holding her hands in front of her. "I am just getting worried about her, and not just because of earlier. What that girl from before said about her disturbs me."

"That _harlot?!_" Ishtar bellowed, balling her fists tightly. "She was a bad friend! A _bad friend!_ I hate bad friends! Mistera had a bad friend when I met her, but not any more! I took care of her!" Her blood boiled just thinking about the harlot Mistera used to be friends with. She thought she could take Mistera away from her just because Mistera had been breaking the law a little somehow.

She gave the historian a deadly glare. "Princesa, _you're_ not going to be a bad friend, are you?"

"I…no," Princesa said quietly, looking a bit shocked and uncomfortable. "Well, maybe I ought to leave now," she said. "Please, just think about what I have said."

She opened the door, then looked back at Ishtar. "I like you Ishtar. Please be careful. Foncé may turn out to be a bad friend too…"

She shut the door before Ishtar could say anything. She glared at the door. Foncé, a bad friend? Never. _She's a good friend; the best friend of all._

Ishtar slumped down into her bed. She felt better now, but she didn't like what Princesa was suggesting. She seemed like a nice enough person now that she was opening up to her, but if she proved to be a bad friend after all then she would report her to Foncé.

After all, bad friends needed to be punished.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: It was my birthday a while back, 27 Feburary to be exact. I'm officially celebrating with my family today though. I'm so happy. I hope I get something good._

_I now spell Dantès with a grave accented "E" as I have recently discovered that that is how the name tends to be written. I hope you don't mind Rahkshi._


	39. Level 39: Napoléon

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu and Kin are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 39: ナポレオン**

**Level 39: Napoléon**

_Foncé _

_So beauteous, so perfect._

_Dusky aristocrat, ebony princess._

_We met by chance one day,_

_Foncé—_

_Violaceous oculus, alabaster dermis._

_Nigrescent coiffure, methodical abutments._

_Before long I was your most loyal follower,_

_Foncé— _

_Gargantuan perspicuity, antecedent maturescence._

_Blossoming substance, antediluvian soul._

_We came together in defiance of everything,_

_Foncé—_

_Sapphic longing, ephobophile desire._

_Flagitious romance, taboo fascination._

_Are we wrong to think this way?_

_Foncé—_

_My life & love._

_My parent & sibling._

_Does our affection threaten?_

_Foncé—_

_How your Ishtar agonizes over our forbidden love._

_Could something perverse be beautiful?_

_Does love make it right?_

_Foncé—_

_I certainly think so._

—**_from the Journal of Ishtar_**

* * *

Sometime during the January of 1809, Napoléon Bonaparte of France, much to his displeasure, had discovered that his foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, had conspired against him with his minister of police, Joseph Fouché (who was, in fact, a descendent of Griffon's). The emperor, furious, had summoned his ministers to the palace where he began ranting incoherently about conspiracies against him and all of France.

As Napoléon talked, Talleyrand leaned indifferently on the mantelpiece, gazing blandly at the emperor. Nothing Napoléon said affected him, even when he began to insinuate that certain ministers meant to betray him. Finally the emperor exploded. "You are a coward, a man of no faith!" he screamed in Talleyrand's face. "Nothing is sacred to you! You would sell your own father! I have showered you with riches and yet there is nothing you would not do to hurt me! You deserve to be broken like glass! I have the power to do it, but I have too much contempt for you to bother. Why didn't I have you hanged from the gates of Tuileries? But there is still time for that. You, by the way, are nothing but shit in a silk stocking!"

"What a pity, gentlemen," Talleyrand said afterwards, "that so great a man should have such bad manners." And it wasn't long before most of France learned of those bad manners. Word spread very quickly about the emperor's tirade—of how he had completely lost control of himself. A feeling spread that he was on his way down. Waterloo was still six years ahead, but as Talleyrand himself later said, "This is the beginning of the end."

Foncé would never hear the story of Napoléon's angry rant in either her current life or any of her future lives. But as someone who devoted her life to the study and acquisition of power she certainly would have appreciated it at that time. She stomped into her room, slammed the door behind her, and plopped her plate on the floor. Hot, angry tears were welling up in her eyes and her teeth were clenched painfully together as she sat herself down to breakfast even though she had no desire to eat. She chewed on her food slowly without even tasting it, her mind occupied by stormy thoughts. She was furious at Ishtar for embarrassing her, at the others for taking her lightly, but most of all at herself for loosing her temper.

Angry responses could have profoundly negative effects. People tended to make unfair and exaggerated accusations when they lost their tempers. At first they may strike fear and terror, but only in some, and as the days pass and the storm clears other responses will emerge, such as embarrassment and uneasiness about the shouter's capacity for going out of control, and resentment of what had been said. Angry people just look ridiculous, taking things too seriously and coming off as hopelessly sensitive.

Foncé had been embarrassed by Ishtar telling everyone over breakfast that they were a couple and feeling that her followers weren't taking her seriously any more, and it was Yadau's information that had made her anxious enough to exaggerate her emotions. She certainly had a right to feel angry, and completely repressing emotional responses was draining. But she understood that by responding so publicly and so angrily she only demonstrated her frustration, and to show frustration is to show that power has been lost. It is the helpless action of a child who resorts to a hysterical fit to get her way.

_That's just what I am,_ she thought mournfully. _I really am just a little girl after all._

Foncé reached down to her plate to take some more food and her hand met smooth cool china and a few crumbs—she had eaten everything without noticing or even tasting it.

She slumped back, staring at the empty plate. The damage of her outburst wouldn't be severe—her comrades were still awed by her power, not sure of her full capabilities. Using the fear of her many spells as a means of controlling them was an option, but was better suited to politics than the leading of warriors. It was a far better technique to be harsh yet companionate with direct underlings, like a stern parent. She supposed she had been doing a fair job of that, and they had tried to rescue her of their own free will.

Foncé wiped the tears away with the hem of her skirt. She couldn't just sit in the dark, crying and feeling sorry—she had to patch things up and move on.

_I'm not just some little girl! I'm an adult! I'm not going to throw tantrums like a little crybaby!_

She sat up, pulling herself straight. Foncé was never comfortable with apologizing for personal things in front of multiple people, but she wasn't comfortable with staying silent and letting fester out of sight either. So what would be the best way to make amends? She was already throwing a party that night, so that was a definite step in the right direction. She could just try to sound repentant, perhaps subtly using Yadau as a scapegoat. After all, it was his words that caused her anxiety—enough anxiety to turn what should have been a mere annoyance into true anger. Yadau would agree easily enough too; it wasn't as if he would be hurt by taking some of the blame. Knowing him, he might even _enjoy_ it a little. The Kumemu could find pleasure in nearly anything.

Foncé patted her stomach, unsatisfied by her breakfast. It occurred to her that she hadn't eaten any fish in a long time. Fish. Saliva squirted into her mouth at the very thought of a succulent, swollen anglerfish. _Mental note: Gather piles of fish for tonight's soirée. Yes, that will make my fellow Devils especially forgiving. And that means getting Yadau's help again._

She left her room and headed for Yadau's, thoughts of fish swimming though her head. _Ishtar, Zorcu, Imité, Princesa, Kin—You're going to love me for this one,_ she thought.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Okay, that was a pretty short chapter. I wanted to get something out though, and I want to slow down a little and examine some of the other characters a little more._

_I'm having a lot of fun with the PlayStation 2 game _Makai Senki Disgaea_ and I just bought the sequel, _Makai Senki Disgaea 2_. Now I'm looking for the novels, manga, and anime. I just can't get enough! Looks like I won't be renewing that subscription to _World of Warcraft_ for a while now!_


	40. Level 40: Aoi

**黒色のフォンセ!**

**_Kokushoku no Foncé!_**

* * *

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

* * *

**Level 40: アオイ**

**Level 40: Aoi**

_Your poem, Ishtar, caused my head to ache._

_The final line just weakens every part._

_Forbidden love a poet does not make._

_It was as subtle as a boastful rake,_

_a fool, a frog, a fowl, a singing tart._

_Your poem, Ishtar, caused my head to ache._

_You need to progress more, for your own sake._

_You have a very foolish, sobbing heart._

_Forbidden love a poet does not make._

_You did an awful, terrible mistake._

_I feel that you don't really get the part._

_Your poem, Ishtar, caused my head to ache._

_You can improve—I know it's true. Please bake_

_the poem further. You are very smart._

_Forbidden love a poet does not make._

_I love you too. I mean to help your art. _

_Your dear Foncé is very happy, but…_

_Your poem, Ishtar, caused my head to ache._

_Forbidden love a poet does not make._

_That's what she'd say to my last poem, wouldn't she Journal? Right? Oh I wish. Sigh. Like the Mistress could ever write something so silly. I'm no good at villanelles _

_Goodness, do I love that girl._

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar**_

* * *

Imité lay lethargically on one of the soft red couches in the sitting room, looking even paler than usual if that were possible, staring sightlessly up at the celing. His slender right arm dangled off the side, black fingernails brushing the smooth hardwood floors.

Aoi sat fidgeting nervously in a loveseat next to the couch. She was worried, both for herself and Imité (it never crossed her mind at the time to consider Princesa). It scared her to see her new lover so effected.

"Imité."

He murmured something in reply.

"What?"

"Foncé's never been angry at me," he said. "I mean, not ever." He turned over to look at her. His eyes were puffy and red, like he had been crying not too long ago. "I know there's a first time for everything, but I can't believe she'd get so mad over Ishtar saying they're a couple. She's too practical, too logical, for that. Something must be bothering her."

"Is there anything I can do?" she asked hesitantly, painfully aware of how lame that sounded. It wasn't as if he would entrust with making Foncé feel better or anything like that, and even if he did she was too afraid of Foncé to try.

"Just leave me alone," was his answer. "Let me think a little."

"Okay," she sighed. She got up and walked slowly to the hall, looking for her room. It worried her how affected Imité was by his sister's moods, but that kind of sensitivity was partially what attracted her to him in the first place.

Aoi had grown up as an urchin on the streets of Seville, answering to the name Juana Ortega y López. She never knew who her parents were, and by the end of her life she still didn't know. It was survival of the fittest out on the streets, so she quickly adapted to a life of petty crime. This served to keep her alive at the very least, but what young Juana really wanted was wealth and comfort.

At age eight she had been forced to live at an orphanage, desperate for more food and shelter, and there she stayed for many years. Her life was filled with chores and no play, which only strengthened her desire for a life of riches and luxury.

The first major turning point in Juana's life came when she turned thirteen. As she was dressing for school, she noticed that the white blouse the orphanage provided for her was torn, so she had to borrow a sweater from a younger girl in the house. The sweater was several sizes too small. She had been terribly embarrassed at how prominent her breasts appeared in that undersized sweater (Juana's breasts were extremely well-developed for her age), but she had to make do.

It wasn't long before Juana noticed that the boys were now gathering around her wherever she went. They gazed at her chest as though it were a gold mine. Suddenly, Juana had a simple but startling revelation. Previously ignored by the other students, Juana Ortega y López now sensed a way to achieve her dreams. She started to smile more, wear makeup, dress as glamorously as she could afford. She made it her mission to find the richest men in the city and seduce money out of them.

And she was very successful at this. Adopting the Japanese-sounding name Aoi to heighten a feeling of the exotic, she found rich men and offered to go on dates with them for the night, flattering them and making them feel good about themselves…for the right price, of course.

Aoi soon came to despise most of the men she accompanied, finding their macho posturing pathetic. Even worse were the younger men who adopted a pseudo-dark persona, bragging about how they didn't care about anything. Aoi hated those men and quickly came to the conclusion that all men were stupid, but the money was excellent, and she was able to live in the luxury she always dreamed of. Even her disgust became seductive, and she mastered the art of coquettishness. It became a pleasure to tease, flirt, and promise, but ultimately deliver nothing. Still, she began to doubt that she would ever find a boy she could genuinely love. She didn't even know if there could be a boy she could love—deep masculinity just turned her off, and what was a boy without masculinity anyway? A boy who wouldn't be interested in girls in the first place, that's what.

Her second major turning point came when she was sixteen. She had noticed people going to a strange old theatre, one of those revivalist places that played old films. Bored and with little else to look forward to that night, Aoi purchased a ticket and went on in. The film turned out to be a musical called _The Rocky Horror Picture Show_. For the first half a few strange songs were sung and Aoi thought it was all pretty stupid.

But then _he_ appeared on screen. Tim Curry, playing a character named Dr. Frank N. Furter, burst out, clad in a corset, garters and stockings, glittery high-heels, and a matching black silk cape and panties ensemble, his face adorned with a copious amount of makeup. He was singing about how he was "just a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania". It was the most insane thing Aoi had seen up until then, and it only got better from there. Despite his feminine appearance, Frank turned out to be equally adept at seducing women as well as men, and Aoi found that her heart was positively racing. Curry's portrayal was the hottest thing ever to her then, and she knew then just what type of boy was perfect for her: One feminine enough for her to understand while being _just _masculine enough to be sexy to her. Sure, just the thought of two girls in a romantic relationship was enough to make her skin crawl, but she just didn't understand or identify with mostly masculine guys. A boy who shared her feminine traits, yet remained a boy was comfortably familiar and understandable.

It was not long after she met Princesa that she met Imité. He was at the same restaurant she decided to eat at, a chance meeting so amazing it was as though they were fated to come together. She had been awed by the very sight of him, the most darkly glamorous boy she had ever laid eyes on. His deathly pale skin, slim but athletic figure, black lips, black fingernails, black eye markings, tight trousers, artfully tattered shirt, and fishnet design was beyond hot. She had sat next to him, too frightened to make the first move. Her heart nearly stopped when he turned around, gave her slight smirk, and asked how she was doing. Small talk soon gave way to introductions, and introductions gave way to casual talk and some flirting.

Then Princesa and the man Aoi whose name she would later learn to be Lord Daniel Squalor, Earl of Bootle, happened to walk in at the same time. Squalor happened to be holding Imité's Persian blue book. Aoi took one look and she brought out Princesa's royal purple book. One Ganzu Desru later, the restaurant's interior was trashed and Imité and Squalor were on their knees in defeat. But Imité and Aoi managed to convince the other's team that joining forces would be advantageous. Squalor readily agreed, unwilling to part with Imité. Princesa was a little harder to convince, but Imité was a skilled speaker, and persuaded her that he could be useful.

They've been together ever since.

Aoi opened her door and sat on her bed. It was unsettling to see Imité so disturbed by something, but she supposed that his sensitivity was yet another quality she liked.

* * *

"That should be everyone," Yadau said to himself, thinking of the costumes he created.

There was a knock at the door. "Come in," he said.

The door swung slowly open, revealing Foncé. "_Ninhao,_ _Yadau,_" she said.

Yadau bowed deeply. "My lady."

"I need your help."

"I am always at your service, Lady Serpenté."

* * *

Ishtar's eyes clouded over as she stared into the golden maelstrom. Soon the images began to form, seeming to come alive before her:_A vast black needle in an icy cave, crackling with malevolent energy…_

_A yawning black abyss…_

_A boy with baleful eyes surrounded by an azure glow…_

_A continent suspended in the heavens…_

_A woman in black trapped in a world of mirrors…_

_A slim figure with metallic flesh… _

_A floating skeleton covered in circuitry and cybernetic attachments… _

_Foncé sitting on a black throne flanked by Yadau, Griffon, the skeleton, and a monstrous insect…_

_Herself, Princesa, and Foncé sleeping together…_

_What?_ Ishtar's eyes popped wide open and her head jerked up. The golden glow abruptly blinked out of existence, leaving the crystal cold and clear once more. Ishtar stared at it, blinking. A headache was beginning to form, but she hardly noticed.

_What was that? Why were we all together like that? She said she hates me now. We looked so intimate there. And Princesa too?_

Ishtar clasped a hand to her throbbing head and stepped lightly over to her journal. Flipping it open to the latest date, she began to furiously scribble down her latest observations.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: Terribly sorry for the long wait. I was busy with work from my university. I hope that the chapter is satisfactory._


	41. Level 41: Yadau's Helping Hand

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu, Jeeno, and Dantès are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 41: 夜倒の配慮**

**Level 41: Yadau's Helping Hand**

_First observations:_

_Big black snake eating planet._

_Désaxé in chains, screaming._

_Ten kings around black throne._

_One-eyed man with bloody scalpel._

_Big black snake eating Mistress._

_Big purple eye (Mistress'?)_

_Monsters falling from hole in sky._

_Black tower in snowy place._

_Rusty eyes._

_Little Devil with thunder power._

_Désaxé again._

_Bloody one-eyed man._

_Dark sky._

_Vampire Devil (Zorcu)._

_Green ball._

_Chained Mistress._

_Melon crushed by foot._

_Second observation:_

_Big black needle in ice cave._

_Big dark place._

_Azure boy._

_Floating landmass._

_Woman surrounded by mirrors._

_Metal man._

_Mechanical skeleton (Undead Creature?)_

_Mistress on throne with Yadau, Griffon, skeleton, and bug._

_Mistress, Pri, and me in bed._

_Some of these visions are clear to me now. The black snake is really Mistress' true self, and her eating the planet is about taking over. The snake eating Mistress must be when she remembered her true self. The Vampire is clearly Zorcu. _

_The rest is still unclear. Mistress said she thinks Désaxé is related to her, so our paths may cross again. She seems to have some relation with the one-eyed man. I think he's hurt Désaxé. _

_An icy place keeps appearing, either with a dark tower or a black needle in a cave. We must be going there or something important is going on there. I just wish I knew what!_

_A black throne appears frequently too. Mistress in sitting on it in one vision. In another are ten kings. I think it means she will rule something. The World of Devils?_

_A lot of darkness and monsters. I'm certain this is the World of Darkness and An'uuto._

_Mistress in chains, the melon, the green ball, azure boy, metal man, thunder boy, the landmass, the rust eyes, the kings, the skeleton, and the bug don't make sense right now. The skeleton and bug might be involved with Yadau and Griffon._

_Mistress, Pri, and me in bed together? That looks nice but I don't know what to think. Will we all fall in love? We look very happy together, at peace and blissful. Does this mean Pri wants to be more than friends? I thought there was something more to her…_

—_**from the Journal of Ishtar**_

* * *

"Why do I have to be here too?" grumbled Ken. He, Foncé, and Yadau were walking along a dirt road that wound through Auseuil, out to improve their upcoming party. The sky, as usual for the little village, was dark and overcast. Weather Ken normally associated with Britain, not France. Not that he disliked the cloudy weather—far from it in fact. He just wasn't all that fond of going outside if he could possibly help it. 

"Because _I'm_ here," said Foncé airily, "and where ever I am, _you're_ supposed to be there too."

"Can't Yadau protect you?"

"He could," Foncé answered, and said no more.

Yadau, who was walking some distance ahead of them, turned his head and smiled cheekily back at them. Ken blinked. He couldn't have heard them, could he?

"Go talk to him," said Foncé.

"I don't feel like it."

"Oh, come on." Foncé hurried her pace, catching up to Yadau and keeping stride as his side. She turned back to Ken and waved. "Ken! Come join us! Yadau's lonely and wants to know more about his mistress' human." The Devil and the An'uuto tittered together at this. Ken blushed angrily beneath his white makeup. He hated talking to new people, but if he didn't join them it would be awkward. Before he met Foncé he wouldn't have cared about such things, but it just didn't pay to completely ignore their new allies. Sure, he avoided talking with them whenever possible; he let Foncé handle the social matters. What was with her that day anyway? An hour earlier she was bitch-slapping Ishtar and threatening to kill everyone. Was it her time of the month or something? Come to think of it, was she getting taller? Thinner? Her hair was definitely longer now, and she had developed a horridly sensual, wiggling way of walking. Ken wouldn't have been surprised at all if she started having periods.

_Do girl Devils even _have_ periods?_ he wondered. 

"Ken?"

He groaned and jogged over to Yadau's side, swinging his cane. "Hi," he said flatly, as he usually did whenever Foncé's friends tried to greet or otherwise communicate with him.

"Hello Ken," Yadau said jovially. "It's good to see such a strapping young lad such as yourself is Lady Serpenté's partner. You remind me a little of her first partner, one Lord Fudimo Yuzhibo."

"Oh," Ken replied.

"He was a grumpy sort, plotting revenge against the ignorant fools who scorned him," Yadau continued.

"Cool."

"Did I ever tell you about my friend Griffon?" asked Yadau.

"Not much," said Foncé. "It would be a pleasure to hear more though."

"Well," Yadau began, "he's a noble, appropriate enough as a partner for a descendent of yours. He and Sabré clicked. Just clicked. It was quite a release for Griffon, who had to work hard to keep his secret from the authorities."

"He was gay?" asked Ken.

"Yes, but the real secret were the Black Masses he was holding in his castle."

"Black Masses?" Yadau had Ken's interest now. "But I thought that was just a myth. You mean he really did blood sacrifices?"

"Blood sacrifices, cannibalism, orgies, you name it, he did it. I don't know what it was like before I came along, but Griffon told me my expertise improved everything for him."

"Did you eat any babies?" asked Ken eagerly. He was starting to like Yadau. He still couldn't quite see quiet, introverted Griffon performing a genuine Black Mass, but suddenly the guy seemed a _whole_ lot more interesting now.

"I won't lie to you," Yadau answered solemnly, "we did."

"That's sick!" gasped Ken. "Tell me more!"

"I knew you two would get along splendidly!" smiled Foncé.

* * *

The first sign came in the morning. 

Zorcu was a little surprised by how simple his costume was, but it appealed to him. Sometime terribly fancy just wasn't his style. That Yadau guy really did know the perfect costumes for everyone.

After carefully folding it up and tucking it away in his wardrobe, Zorcu went to the bathroom. He took a shower and started to brush his teeth. He was thinking how he hadn't had any blood in a while, when he noticed a small reddish bump on his cheek in his reflection. It stood out like a sore thumb on his pale skin. He frowned, wondering if he had been bitten by an insect while asleep. It didn't itch though, and it didn't look like a bug bite.

The second sign came a little while later, when the young vampire came out to breakfast. Hunger finally drove him to seek out Jeeno and her tasty blood. He came into the living room, where Princesa, Ishtar, Imité, and Mistera were sitting on the couches. He turned to Mistera, and was about to ask if she had seen Jeeno, when, for what strangely seemed to be the first time, he noticed her breasts. His eyes were drawn, like magnets to a loadstone, to the large, round orbs of flesh straining against her tight red dress. His eyes widened; he didn't understand why, but Mistera's bosom made him feel…excited. He had a sudden urge to gently bite her on one of her breasts and slowly sip her blood. Somehow, that she was taller and older than him made his little fantasy more exciting.

"Yes?" she asked, noticing him for the first time. Her eyes were red and puffy, as though she had been crying recently. Zorcu was taken aback a bit by this, but his eyes kept flicking from her face to back to her breasts. "Erm, I…I just wanted to ask, erm…" he stuttered. "Ah, Jeeno…know where she is?"

"Jeeno?" she asked, sounding as though the name were unfamiliar to her. She thought for a moment, then said, "Your partner?"

"Uh huh," Zorcu said absently, no longer thinking of his bookkeeper. "Mistera?" he said.

"Yes?"

He stood there, staring at her silently. He wanted to say something, but was too frightened. Suddenly he felt ridiculous. There he was, gaping like a fish at one of his comrades. Zorcu briefly wondered if he looked as stupid as he felt.

"Zorcu?"

"I…what I mean to say…You're really pretty!" he blurted out, his voice cracking painfully and awkwardly. That was third sign.

_There. I said it._

She stared back at him wordlessly for a few seconds, and then smiled sadly. "Why thank you," she said. She leaned over bring her face closer to Zorcu's, unknowingly giving him an eye-full of her generous cleavage, and he could now smell an intoxicating perfume around her. He could not repress a joyous shiver.

"She might be in her room," said Mistera sweetly. Her smile was beautiful to Zorcu. He just wanted to grab her and kiss those pretty little pale-pink lips.

"Th-thanks," he said. He slowly stepped back and sat on the couch across from where Mistera and Imité sat, between Ishtar and Princesa. Princesa turned to him, frowning. Zorcu almost got a face full of her very large, round breasts, stuffed tightly into a white button-up shirt. Why hadn't he noticed _those_ before?

"I thought you were going to look for Jeeno," she stated in a voice that was both robotically stilted and sensually deep. It was a jarring combination. "Why did you sit down with us?"

Zorcu stared at Princea's chest, half expecting the shirt to burst open, the buttons flying off, unable to hold her amazing breasts back. "Jeeno?" he asked, his partner but a distant memory.

Imité's eyes flicked over to Zorcu, silently taking everything in. Zorcu didn't notice. He was beginning to sweat profusely, being so close to Princesa.

_Why didn't I see how beautiful is either? Why do I feel this way all of a sudden? What's happening?_

Zorcu abruptly stood up and stumbled off toward the guest rooms. "Gotta go!" he called.

The sat there, blinking in confusion. "What was that about?" asked Ishtar.

Mistera smiled. "I think the kid's discovered girls and was overwhelmed by our 'charms'." She cupped her breasts for emphasis and chuckled. "Poor kid! I'm a bit too much for him."

Princesa blushed. "So he…finds me attractive? "

"Attractive?" laughed Mistera. "He couldn't keep his eyes off you! And for good reason: you look great. Your sense of fashion is weird, but you look so good no one cares."

Princesa's eyes went wide. Her face flushed deeply, and she placed her hands to her cheeks. "I am…attractive?" she asked again, her voice filled with awe.

"Of course!" said Ishtar. "You're really pretty!"

Princesa's eyes went dewy, and tears began to trickle down the sides of her face. "No one has ever told me I was attractive before."

"Excuse me," said Imité, "but I think I need to see Zorcu." He got off the couch and stretched. "Boy talk."

"I see," Mistera giggled. "The _Talk_."

* * *

After more than half an hour of debauched stories from Yadau's time with Sabré and Griffon, Ken couldn't take it any more. "I've gotta kill someone and eat him!" Ken shouted. "Foncé! Let's find someone and kill him! Someone out here won't be missed!" 

"Not now Ken," Foncé replied distractedly. "We need to acquire fish, and a lot of it, for the party." The three of them were standing by a pond as Yadau performed an An'uuto ritual. Supposedly it would summon fish for them, but it sure was taking a while. "Maybe if you do a good job of helping to bring the fish home."

* * *

_What's going on?_ Zorcu asked himself. _Why am I acting so weird? _He was lying on his back on his bed, looking up at the ceiling. His mind was filled with questions and teasing fantasies of Mistera and Princesa. It bothered him that his mind didn't seem to want to think about Jeeno, but at the same time he was a bit relieved to not be thinking of her in the same way as the other two. 

Just then, there was a knock at the door. "Yeah?"

"_It's Imité. There's something we need to discuss privately._"

Zorcu didn't much like the sound of that, but he was curious. It could only be about what was happening to him. "Okay, come in."

Imité opened the door and came inside. Zorcu scooted over, allowing the older boy to sit down on the bed with him. "Hi," Zorcu said, a little uneasily.

"_Ninhao,_" Imité answered. "So, I noticed you were ogling the girls back there…"

"Sorry," Zorcu muttered bashfully.

"…and," Imité said as he leaned over to take a closer look at the side of Zorcu's face, "I see you've got some pimples."

Zorcu slapped a hand over his cheek. He didn't like the feeling of being examined.

Imité sighed. "As the only other male Devil in the group, I feel it's my duty to inform you on growing up. Zorcu, you're going through a process called puberty, and it's perfectly natural. Everyone goes through it, provided they haven't died during childhood."

"So I'm not a pervert?" asked Zorcu. "That's relief."

"It's normal," said Imité. "It's a little early for you, but it's not that unusual. But I was noticing boys a little earlier than you, and noticing girls around your age."

"Noticing boys?" Zorcu asked.

"Some guys—like me—get into boys. In my case I like both boys and girls. I started having crushes on boys first, then started developing feelings for girls a little while later."

"How is a guy supposed to like another guy?" asked Zorcu. The idea was pretty weird to him, to the point where it didn't sound quite believable yet.

"I don't know; it just happened to me. I remember seeing a cute boy one day and thinking I'd like to look at him for a while, the way you were looking at Miss Cellini and Princesa."

Zorcu suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "You don't look at me that way, do you?" he asked.

Imité laughed. "You're cute and all, but I'm not interested in you! I'm not here to hit on you r anything."

"Oh, okay."

"Anyway, the same goes for some girls too, and they'll like other girls instead of boys. Ishtar's like that."

"Really?"

"Yeah, she told me herself."

"But why does anyone start getting interested in girls or boys?" asked Zorcu.

"To get you eager to mate and produce offspring," Imité answered. "If you're randy you want to get into some girl's knickers make the beast with two backs, therefore making babies."

Zorcu blushed furiously. "Do you have to put it _that_ way?"

The older boy smiled. "Sorry, but that is what it's all about when you get right down to it. Just be sure to only have children with someone you love, and if you're going to fuck anyone for fun, make sure you don't get a disease."

"Uh…"

"Now, everything you need to know about what's happening to your body…"

* * *

It took a while, but somehow Yadau's magic filled the little pond to overflowing with wriggling fish. Foncé, her eyes wide and hungry, carefully knelt down to inspect the fish. Her hand flashed out, deftly catching a fish by the tail. She slowly, reverently, lifted the helpless creature to her face, and took a bite out of its tail. She began working along, carefully avoiding the vital organs. 

_She's keeping it alive along as possible,_ Ken observed. _Sick. I'm so glad to have her as my Devil._

"She's quite a girl, isn't she?" Yadau said, appearing suddenly by his side.

Ken watched as Foncé finally administered a killing bite to the head, crushing the skull. She began sucking the head organs out through the eye sockets. "Yeah," Ken answered. "Now how are we gonna take this fish back?"

"Leave that to me," Yadau said.

Ken turned away to scan the rolling hills. A lone young man was wandering along the path they just came down. He was a handsome, muscular boy, a farmer by the look of him.

Yadau placed a hand on Ken's shoulder, almost making the youth jump. "He looks tasty, doesn't he?" he whispered. He drummed his fingers on Ken's shoulder suggestively.

"Yeah," Ken said again. Images flashed through his mind, debauched fantasies of Sabré (he didn't know what Foncé's father looked like so he only saw a hunched shadowy figure), Griffon, and Yadau presiding over blasphemous cannibalistic feasts in darkened castle halls.

"Foncé?"

The girl turned around, still chewing on the fish's innards. "Yes Ken?"

"Haven't I been good?" he asked. "I want to have a little fun before going back."

"Oh alright. We should spend some more quality time together, before going off on out big trip tomorrow."

Ken brought the book out and smiled darkly. "Thanks a lot Foncé. Now see that guy other there? Point at him."

Foncé held her hand out. Ken focused on the unwitting farm boy, mentally replacing his face with that of Rahkshi Hundred's. His eyes narrowed into hateful slits. _I'm gonna get you Hundred, and when I do it's gonna be slow and painful._

"_Anheiruga!_"

* * *

"So that's it?" Zorcu asked. He wasn't quite sure if he was ready for all of Imité's revelations. 

"That's it."

"Erm, wow. I never knew growing up was so complicated. So why'd you want to tell me?"

Imité reached out and ruffled Zorcu's mop of ivory-white hair. "Because you're my teammate and the only other Devil boy in our group," he said playfully. "You're kind of like a little brother to me now."

"Little brother?" He liked the sound of that. "Hey, thanks for helping me. I really appreciate it." He smiled up at Imité.

Imité nodded. "So go out there and get 'em!" he said, his voice encouraging.

Zorcu got up and left his room, feeling a little overwhelmed by everything Imité told him. He thought it best to see if he could connect to any of the girls. It would be nice to get together with someone.

So how did how friend Zorcu go over with the girls? Not too well actually.

The first girl he met in his attempt at finding romance was Mistera, who was idling in the kitchen, lighting up a cigarette with a gold-plated cigarette lighter. He gathered up his courage and marched up to the statuesque blonde beauty. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked boldly.

"Girlfriend?" She looked down at him (he suddenly felt tiny compared to the human woman), and smiled pityingly. "Oh, don't you think I'm too old for you?"

"Erm," Zorcu stalled, his confidence fading, "maybe, but I still think you're pretty!"

She chuckled and patted his head. "You're so cute," she cooed. "You'll made a great boyfriend to some lucky girl."

Zorcu lowered his head. "Thanks," he murmured dejectedly.

Next was Ishtar, in the dining room. He approached the girl carefully, and said, "Hey Ishtar, I know you're into girls and stuff, but I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me?"

Ishtar turned to him, her eyes bright. "You want to play with me?" she asked.

"Erm," Zorcu said, unsure. "Maybe?"

Ishtar squealed and grabbed Zorcu in a bone-crushing hug, knocking the wind out of him. "I'm so happy!" she exclaimed. "First it turns out Foncé doesn't really hate me, now Zorcu wants to play with me!"

"That isn't what meant!" Zorcu gasped, startled by her strength.

"Zorcu," she sighed happily, "you're my friend."

Zorcu, unsure and uncomfortable, reluctantly patted her on the back.

* * *

"You know guys," said Ken, "I appreciate what you're doing for me, but is it really wise for a visibly inhuman An'uuto to be carving up a human corpse in the middle of a rural road at noontime?" 

"Relax," said Yadau, naked and in his true form. He was using his long claws to rip strips out of the body. "If anyone comes by I'll kill them myself. Besides, you were the one who wanted to kill a human so badly."

"Well now that I think about it…" Ken said, scratching the back of his head.

There was a wet ripping sound, and Yadau held up a blood strip of dangling meat, which he promptly popped into his mouth.

"What was that?" asked Ken, fascinated in spite of himself.

"The tongue," Foncé answered dispassionately. She watched from the side, her arms folded. "This sure brings back memories."

Yadau motioned to Ken. "Come down and have some!" he urged. "It's great!"

Ken looked at the bloody mess and hesitated. Could he really do it? Could he really eat the flesh of a fellow human? His mind wandered back to that movie Foncé showed him weeks ago back in Mochinoki, _Cannibal Holocaust_. There was a scene where a professor needed to get some film canisters from a cannibal tribe, and the tribe would only give him the canisters if he ate a raw human heart. To get the knowledge he was seeking, the professor had to do something horrible; something that would change him; something that would forever separate him from other civilized men. And after he did that terrible thing, and had a chance to see what his sacrifice had gained him, he would be forced to wonder for the rest of his life if the sacrifice was worth it.

Then again, Ken thought the stuff that professor found in the recovered film was really cool.

_Fuck it. I killed the partner of the first Devil we fought, and I don't feel the least bit sorry. Hell, it felt good! I killed another guy just fun! I guess that makes me a psychopath, so what's the deal if I eat someone?_

"Hand some of that over here," said Ken. Yadau obliged and dropped a bloody piece of meat into his hands. He stepped back next to Foncé, beside himself with glee as Ken raised the piece to his mouth.

"I think he'll make an excellent An'uuto," he tittered.

_Just you wait Hundred,_ thought Ken. _I'll see to it you experience the same fate._

* * *

Sometime after Ishtar finally released him, Zorcu wandered off. His time in Ishtar's embrace left him thinking, and he had a revelation: Jeeno was the girl for him! The answer had been right in front of him and he never noticed until now. It was just a matter of finding her then… 

He stopped dead in his tracks. There, through the picture window and sitting outside was Jeeno. Sitting next to her, a comforting arm around her shoulder, was Dantès. They were sitting on a tree stump, their backs turned to him. He couldn't hear Jeeno, but from the glimpses he got when she turned her head she looked happy.

Happier than she had been with him recently.

Zorcu's head dropped and his heart sank. He turned and started to slowly shuffle away to his room. There was Princesa, standing in his path. She was smiling shyly, her dusky face faintly blushing.

"Princesa?" he said, his heart jumping. Her smile instantly perked him up.

"Hello Zorcu," she said, fidgeting a little. In spite of her mature body and great height, she looked adorable to Zorcu in that moment. It occurred to him that although she was a total hard body, she didn't dress provocatively or flaunt herself the way Mistera and Aoi did. On the contrary, she outfit was comparatively conservative: a pair of black trousers and a white button-up shirt with all the buttons done. It was like she wasn't aware of how beautiful she was, and Zorcu suddenly found that incredibly arousing.

The front door burst open with a bang, and Ken rushed over to Princesa and Zorcu, a bright red stain on his mouth. "Hey guys," he said jovially, "guess who just ate human flesh? That's right! Me!"

Zorcu and Princesa stared at him. "Erm, good for you?" said Zorcu.

Foncé popped her head through the doorway. "Could someone help us with the fish? We have quite a load here."

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: This has to be the most bizarre and grotesque thing I've written thus far, so of course, it's now my favorite chapter. Please, tell me what you think after reading! _


	42. Level 42: Partying is Such Sweet Soirée

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

**

* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_"Time Warp" and "Science Fiction/Double Feature" belong to Richard O'Brian._

_Zorcu, Jeeno, Kin, and Dantès are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

**

**Level 42: 今夜はパーティ**

**Level 42: Partying is Such Sweet Soirée**

_It's been a while since we met Mistress, but this is really just the beginning, the first step of something far greater. _

—from the Journal of Ishtar

* * *

"It tastes like veal, only better!" 

"Really? That's what it tastes like?" asked Squalor.

"That is what I read," Princesa answered. "Very similar to veal."

They were standing in the living room. Zorcu stood aside, anxious to spend some quality time with Princesa. But Princesa's morbid curiosity was piqued by Ken's gruesome account of consuming human flesh, and she wouldn't leave until satisfied. Zorcu couldn't really complain; drinking human blood wasn't that far removed from eating human flesh, and even if Zorcu wasn't human he had drank Devil blood before. That could be considered a form of anthropophagy.

Still, it was more than a little disturbing just how _jubilant_ Ken was over the fact.

* * *

As much as Foncé enjoyed the smell of raw fish, she had just helped lug a pile of fish over to the castle, and it just wasn't proper to attend a party smelling like the catch of the day. It was time for a bath. 

After carefully draping a temporary dress she was to wear before switching to her costume over the countertop, she turned the knobs to the bath and waited until the water was warm. She ran her hand into the water pouring from the faucet, found the temperature satisfactory, and began to slip out of her dress.

Someone knocked on the door. "Yes?" Foncé replied.

"_It's me, Ish! I found some fresh towels that need to go in this bathroom!_"

Foncé grunted in annoyance, and hastily pulled her dress back on. "A few moments please!" she called back. A quick glance around the room told her that there really were no towels present. _That's strange; I knew there were towels here this morning…_

Her dress back on, she opened the door. Ishtar came in, balancing a large bundle of clean pale blue towels in her arms. "Hello Mistress," Ishtar greeted sheepishly. Her eyes avoided looking Foncé in the face, and her cheeks were reddish. Guilt knotted in Foncé stomach. Slapping Ishtar out of anger was just petty. True, Ishtar needed to be punished if she acted out of line, but she should have thought about it first instead.

"Ishtar…" Foncé said softly. "I apologize for hurting you."

Ishtar set the towels down and looked at Foncé. "No, I should apologize. I was being stupid."

Foncé noticed that the bath had filled with water, and moved to turn the water off. She didn't notice the devious smile creep over Ishtar's face. "Oh Ish," she said. "Well, alright then. Just do what you feel like."

Ishtar stood there, unmoving. Foncé checked the water again, looked at Ishtar, and then went back to the water. Ishtar still didn't move. Foncé frowned, wondering what the girl was doing. "Ish…"

"Yes Mistress?"

Foncé let the Mistress title go by. It was embarrassing in company, but she didn't mind it in private (and, secretly, she thought it was somewhat kinky). "Why are you just standing there?"

"Why Mistress! Nobility such as yourself needs a bath attendant! If you don't have one then you'll have to cross the bathroom to get your other dress, and you may get it all wet! I'll hand it to you went you're done washing."

Foncé looked at Ishtar, then at the dress lying on the counter. "Ishtar, I think I can manage to put on a towel and dry off before getting my dress," she said dryly.

"The towels are some distance from the bath too," Ishtar replied. "I'd better hand one to you when you finish."

Foncé sighed, and gave a smile. She might as well let Ishtar do what she wanted. She owed her that much at least. "Alright, you can be my official bath attendant," she said, her tone dripping with playful mock seriousness. "Be warned that it's a demanding job. Are you sure you're up to it?"

Ishtar saluted smartly, her face deadly serious. "I'll do my best!"

_Finally,_ Foncé thought with relief as she slipped out of her clothes. _The water must be getting cold by now._

"Wow," Ishtar breathed, "so those lines go allover."

"All of my joints below the neck," Foncé answered as she shed the last pieces of clothing and climbed into the bath. All the stress accumulated since her little meeting early with Yadau seemed to float away with the steam rising from the water. It was as though the warm water had entered her body through the lines defining her joints. With a sigh she lay back and relaxed, her eyes drifting shut.

"I needed this," she whispered.

"Uh-huh," she heard Ishtar answer.

Yadau's troubling words came back to Foncé, and a sickening feeling rose in her stomach again. She had no choice; she had to tell Ishtar. It was the only way to keep her from being hurt later on.

"Ishtar, there's something I need to tell you."

"Really? Because there's something I need to tell you too."

"What is it?" asked Foncé. She opened her eyes, and anything else she planned on saying abruptly died in her throat. Ishtar's cloak had dropped to the floor, and she was now throwing off her remaining clothes. Foncé could only stare at Ishtar in amazement. The girl was much curvier and better endowed than she appeared at first glace. A single golden horn, about ten centimeters, rose straight up from the top of her head. The rubies Foncé had always thought to be decorations for her gloves, shoes, and forehead were, in fact, attached directly to Ishtar's flesh.

_That explains the tall hat and the gloves,_ Foncé thought.

Ishtar gave her cheeky smile, and said, "Love makes me stupid."

With that, she jumped into the bath, splashing water everywhere.

"What are you doing?!" Foncé sputtered.

"Just doing what I feel like, like you said!" Ishtar laughed. She began playfully splashing water on Foncé with her hands.

"So it's naval warfare, is it?" Foncé growled through clenched teeth as she went on the counter-offensive, furiously splashing water back at Ishtar. "Well take _this_ and _this_ and _this!_"

A few minutes later, Ishtar was scrubbing Foncé's back with a rough sponge. Foncé was all but purring under Ishtar's administrations. "Oh, that feels good…"

"Now aren't you glad I came in?" asked Ishtar.

"Absolutely. Now please, spoil me some more, my pet."

"Of course, my Mistress," Ishtar cooed in a tone that made Foncé shiver deliciously. Ishtar got out the shampoo and slowly, sensually massaged her scalp, lathering her hair with soap, fingers rubbing the bases of the pair of small bone-white horns emerging from Foncé's skull.

"You simply _must_ accompany me to every bath from now on."

"It's my job."

* * *

Princesa was depressed. More than usual that is. 

When it was time to spend time with Zorcu she had been happy, and while it had been sort of nice to have someone new to talk to, it wasn't long before it sunk in to her that she really didn't feel anything for the young vampire boy.

Much like every other boy encountered in her life so far.

It just wasn't Zorcu's day.

"It sure is a relief that Auseuil is so dark all the time," said Zorcu, gazing up at the gray clouds overhead. "I don't mind the sun _that_ much, but it's still a relief."

"Where I come from," Princesa answered despondently, sitting on the ground, "every day is beat down by scorching sunlight and searing winds."

"Really? How could you stand to live there?"

Princesa dropped her gaze to the grass. "The only thing that keep me going was investigating the ruins of a forgotten civilization. Were it not for that I would have left years ago. Or died."

Zorcu moved to her side. "Is something wrong? You look unhappy."

"I…" Princesa turned to him. His face was filled with concern. Concern. For her. How long had it been since someone cared enough about her to show concern for her? Before her parents died she supposed, and that had been more than a decade ago. Seeing concern in the face of someone now suddenly made her feel very sad. What she had to tell Zorcu pained her all the more.

"Zorcu," she said, and gently took his hand into hers, "I like you, I really do, but I…just do not feel anything for you."

He stared back at her, surprised and hurt. "What? But you…you…"

"I was touched because you thought I was attractive, something no one has indicated before, so I thought you might be the one for me," she said regretfully.

"But we've been together only twenty minutes!" Zorcu protested. He was beginning to look angry. Princesa felt even worse seeing how worked up he was getting. "How can you say I'm not the one for you?"

"Well," she began, turning away from him and chewing on her thumbnail, "it is not you. It is me. I do not feel anything for…any boy, I am afraid."

It took a moment for this to sink into to Zorcu. He seemed to deflate with defeat, his anger replaced with bitter disappointment. "Oh," he said simply. He got and started to walk back to the castle. "Okay. See you later then."

Princesa felt terrible seeing him go away. She couldn't let it end like that, not after the care he showed her. "Wait Zorcu!"

He turned back. "What?" he asked crabbily.

Princesa got to her feet and slowly walked over to him. She placed her hands on his shoulders and smiled sincerely at him. "Thank you," she said, and leaned down to kiss his forehead.

"Huh? Why?" he asked, startled.

"For caring about me," she said. "I hope you find the right girl for you soon."

Zorcu blushed. "Erm, thanks. I hope…you do too."

* * *

"So when's the party start?" 

Foncé stretched, enjoying her clean new dress. "We'll start at seven. But that bath was so fun that we'll have to do a spectacular job if the party's going to top it."

Ishtar pulled her shoes and gloves on. "Yeah," she giggled. "We should hang out together more often, have fun!"

"Yes," Foncé, Ishtar's words uncomfortably reminding her of what she needed to tell her friend. "About that Ishtar…I…"

"You?"

Foncé took a deep breath, now feeling very guilty after having so much fun with Ishtar. It was like breaking up with someone after taking your date out for a fantastic night. "We…can't be together like this, Ishtar."

Ishtar's happiness abruptly gave way to confusion. "Huh?"

"There's…someone waiting for me," Foncé continued sadly, "someone I used to know a long time ago. We loved each other, and I thought I lost this person, but now I know he's out there, waiting for me to return. Please understand, we can still be friends—"

"But what's the problem?" Ishtar interrupted. "I think it's great your old boyfriend is there for you, but why can't we love each other too?"

Foncé stared back at Ishtar. Now she was the confused one. Was Ishtar in denial or did she simply not understand? "Ish, we made a promise that we would stay together. I thought he had died, so I thought I could find someone else, but since he's alive I have to go back to him."

"Of course you can! But we can still love each other! I don't mind if I have to share you. You're so lucky to have so many lovers!"

Foncé fell silent for a moment, looking blankly at Ishtar. She tried putting herself in Ishtar's shoes, looking for some kind of explanation.

"Ish, do you know what 'monogamy' means?" Foncé asked slowly.

Ishtar put a finger to her chin and scrunched her face up, thinking hard. "Erm, no," she finally answered. "Doesn't ring a bell."

"I see. Do you know what 'marriage' is?"

"I hear people mention that every so often, but I don't know what it is."

_She has no concept of monogamy,_ thought Foncé, amazed. _Imité should be very interested in talking to her._ "Alright Ishtar," Foncé began, "monogamy is when you have only one partner in a romantic relationship. Marriage is most often when two—and only two—romantically linked people are bonded as a couple to form a family. That's how it is almost universally. Understand?"

Ishtar looked horrified. "No! No, I don't! That's not right! How could someone have love for only one other? It's unhealthy! It's unnatural! People have too much love in them for a single lover!"

"I'm sorry Ishtar," Foncé said, "but you need to know these things. Perhaps you should speak to Imité; he's an advocate of polyamory. He'll agree with you on many issues."

"But this can't be right!" Ishtar moaned. "My visions—"

"Visions?" asked Foncé. Had Ishtar been hiding something from her? "Would you mind sharing them with me?"

"Oh, right, visions," Ishtar replied. She seemed to calm down, but was still visibly agitated. "I saw…a big needle in a cave, a robotic skeleton, a floating landmass, and…some things I don't remember now."

"Then please try to remember them," Foncé said seriously. "You shouldn't be keeping these things from me."

Ishtar lowed her head. "Yes Mistress. It's just that if you know you may end up changing your fortune, even if it's a good thing. I'll tell you if some bad will happen though."

"Good," Foncé said as she opened the bathroom door. "And as it turns out, that floating landmass is our next destination."

"Really?" Ishtar asked, but Foncé had walked away by then.

* * *

Imité was sitting on a couch in the sitting room again, reading _Justine ou les Malheurs de la Vertu_ by the Marquis de Sade. _Finally, an author who gets that those who live a life of vice prosper while those who live a life of virtue suffer, _he thought. 

"Hi Imité," Zorcu said dejectedly, walking in from the hallway.

Imité looked up. "I take it things didn't go well?"

Zorcu sat next to Imité and set his chin in his hands. "They either don't take me seriously or think I just want to be friends. Princesa turned out to only like girls. I thought about asking Kin out, but when I saw her doing head spins in the entertainment room while singing, I just gave up."

Imité patted his shoulder sympathetically. "That's too bad. Every girl?"

"Well, not Aoi, but what're the chances of her saying yes?"

An idea began to form in Imité's sharp brain. "Actually, she's been looking for someone to show a good time to tonight," he said. "Maybe you'll be the lucky one."

"Me? No way!"

Imité gave his most mysterious smile. "Don't be too sure. We'll find out tonight, when she chooses."

Zorcu tilted his head up, eyes filled with renewed hope. It made Imité happy for him. "Really, you think I have a chance with her?"

"You never know."

A smile spread over Zorcu's face. "Oh man."

"You should smile more often. It might attract more girls. You've got a cute face."

"Okay, sure!"

"Now get ready. I think we'll be starting soon."

Zorcu rushed off. "Thanks for the tip, Imité!"

Imité chuckled and returned to his book. _Cute kid. I like him._

* * *

Seven o'clock. Time for the big event. 

Everyone had gone back to his or her room, undressing and putting on the costumes. Only Yadau knew what everyone had, so they were excited to see what everyone else was wearing.

Foncé, clad in her miniature suit of armor, scampered over to Yadau's door. She gently knocked on the door. "Yadau, are you ready?"

The door opened and Yadau stepped out, dressed in a fine green Seventeenth century-era suit, complete with knee breeches. He bowed extravagantly and took Foncé's hand. "But of course, Madame," he purred.

"Always the charmer," Foncé replied, "when you're not taking what you want by force that is."

The two were joined by Griffon, dressed in a dark suit similar to Yadau's, but more modern, Eighteenth century by the looks of it. "_Wanshamuhau, _my Lady, Yadau," Griffon said in the An'uuto language.

"_Ginwan shi,_" Foncé and Yadau greeted back.

"Had I not seen An'uuto clothes before," said Griffon, "I'd find these garments very peculiar."

They walked into the sitting room and sat down. "So who'll be next?" asked Yadau.

"I want to see Imité's," said Foncé. "Will I like it?"

"I'm sure you will," Yadau said. "He sure did."

Ken walked in, looking a little awkward in a flowing purple _toga picta_ embroidered with gold. On his head was a beautiful wreath of laurel leaves. He regarded the others silently for a moment before crossing over and sitting next to Foncé.

"Hi," he said quietly.

"You look very regal in that toga," said Foncé with a smile. "Much like Livia Augusta, my last partner."

"Thanks," Ken muttered. He wasn't a very sociable person; parties weren't a pastime he particularly enjoyed. He was beginning to wish he turned the offer down.

Yadau placed a hand on Ken's shoulder. "Looking good. I think it's perfect for you."

"Thanks." Ken looked at Yadau. "Wait, your suit's too modern. You were imprisoned at the beginning of the last century, so how would you know about a suit like that?" He pointed at Griffon. "Him too! You guys shouldn't know about that kind of fashion!"

"Two things," Yadau answered. "One, we've had similar fashions in the World of Darkness long before humans existed. Two, it's what I saw when looking into your hearts. You guys picked out the costumes; I just made them."

"Oh," Ken said, "I see."

"Hi everyone!" Ishtar greeted. She walked in, dressed in a heavy brown fur coat over a black dress. Behind her was a nervous-looking Princesa, wearing a jaunty dark coat with brass buttons and trousers. Both were wearing hats, Ishtar's a black fur cap with a colorful feather pinned to it, Princesa's a tall black affair with a brass buckle fixed to the front.

Ishtar grabbed Princesa's hand and pulled the reluctant girl into the sitting room. "Come on! We'll have fun!"

"I do not know…" Princesa mumbled, but didn't resist. Ishtar took a seat next to Foncé while Princesa opted to stand by the couches.

"Hello Foncé," Ishtar said quietly. "Your costume is…noble."

"Good evening Ishtar. You look very aristocratic in that dress."

Zorcu skipped in, wearing an austere gray military uniform. He took a seat on one of the couches that still had room, bouncing up and down excitedly on the cushions. "Wow! You guys sure have some fancy costumes!"

"You're sure excited," said Ishtar. "Me too!"

"You're not starting without us, are you?" asked Imité. He wore a mock-up of a sheik's flowing robes. Beside him was Aoi, draped in an almost transparent long white gown, a small tiara balanced on her head. They walked in regally, Imité moving across from Foncé, Aoi sitting down next to Zorcu. She flashed a charming smile at Zorcu, nearly causing him to double the speed at which he was bouncing in his seat.

"In fifteen minutes everybody will be famous," Kin said cryptically as she strode in. She was dressed in a dark suit with a tie and a huge pair of black sunglasses. Instead of sitting down, she marched over to a corner of the room and leaned against it insolently.

"We're here," Mistera giggled breathily. She was dressed in a tight white dress. Sulking behind her was Squalor in a stuffy black suit and top hat. She sauntered over to the crowd while Squalor took a place next to Princesa.

"I think we're all here," said Aoi.

"Not quite," said Yadau. He looked over to the hallway. "Little kittens! Come out and play!"

Jeeno and Dantès peeked out. Jeeno was dressed in an elegant pale gown with a flowery design. Dantès had a suit similar to Yadau's but red in color. Jeeno glared at Yadau defiantly.

"What kind of look is that?" laughed Yadau. "Join the fun!"

Zorcu looked over his shoulder. "Just get come here Jeeno," he said coldly.

Jeeno's defiance was replaced by sadness. Had she and Zorcu really drifted apart so much? She and Dantès stepped over but stayed at a distance from the group.

"Close enough," said Foncé. "Yadau, don't you think know would be a good time to bring the refreshments?"

"Of course. Wait here."

As Yadau left, Foncé turned to her comrades. "So friends, the every interesting object in the castle is at our disposal tonight. Music, motion pictures, dancing, feasting; we can do all that and more—at least, we can after this announcement."

She hopped from her place on the sofa and pulled herself to her full height. "Doubtless you've all been wondering where we would go from here, what our next step will be. Wonder no more. Our next destination is Cuilü Island, a landmass drifting among the clouds, undetected by human technology. An ancient place, holding the means to our victory in its majestic temples."

Surprise registered on everyone's faces (with the exception of Griffon's as couldn't understand Foncé, and even if he did he knew of her plans for Cuilü Island in advance). "A floating island?" asked Mistera.

Aoi was intrigued. "Like in fairytales?"

"If it's like the fairytales," Squalor pointed out, "then there's bound to be gold and jewels!"

"Riches!" Aoi rubbed her hands together greedily. "Sparkling, shining riches!"

"Perhaps," said Foncé. "Our main objective is the technology. It is with the Xinshiqi civilization's ancient science that we shall conquer the world."

"Conquer the world?! Isn't trying to become the ruler of your own world good enough?" Jeeno objected.

"That's how I plan to win the Battle," Foncé remarked. "When I was in my first Battle thirteen thousand years ago I was able to take advantage of the An'uuto, the denizens of the World of Darkness, and used them to hunt down and destroy every Devil who opposed me. I still retain that control over less An'uuto, and with the Xinshiqi technology remaining on that island, I'll be able to amass a vast army of darkness!" Her eyes gleamed triumphantly.

"Then why did you not success that other time?" Princesa asked dryly.

Foncé sighed. "Some fools burned my book. Without my control, the An'uuto went out of control and obliterated the Xinshiqi civilization. A shame, but it did pave the way for human domination."

"So what is this island then?" asked Ken. "What's it connection with everything?"

"Cuilü Island's the last remaining Xinshiqi settlement," Foncé explained, "and it's where my Xinshiqi bookkeeper used to live. It was from his palace that we opened gateways to the World of Darkness and summoned our armies."

"But that was thirteen thousand years ago," Ken pointed out. "Why should any of the technology still be in working condition?"

"That's because I have allies maintaining it for me. They're still there, believe me; Yadau contacted them recently to make sure they were still around since the last Battle."

"This is pretty amazing," said Mistera. "Ancient civilizations? Floating islands? I thought it couldn't get any weirder."

"We leave tomorrow," Foncé. "Tonight is my reward to you for staying with me. If everything goes right, we will rule this world and the World of Devils."

Ken grinned. "Excellent."

"Oh," Foncé said, "about this morning? I'm terribly sorry about that. Yadau told me something that stressed me out quite a bit, so I was on edge."

Yadau, who was bringing in catering tables, hung his head shamefully. "It's all my fault. How may atone for my sins?"

"Yadau, compared to the other sins you've done, this is about the least of them, so just cater for us," Foncé answered.

* * *

After dining on various fish dishes, Yadau put some soft music on. "Find a dance partner!" he said. 

Zorcu twiddled his thumbs nervously. A hand fell on his shoulder, startling him. He looked up to find Aoi smiling down at his. His heart almost stopped right there. "Hey," she said, "wanna dance with me?"

"Sure!" Zorcu blurted out. "Of course!"

Ken moved to the corner of the room. "No dancing for me, thanks," he muttered.

""Me neither," said Squalor, following him. Squalor was followed in turn by Princesa.

Imité scanned the ballroom. Who would he dance with now? He had spent some time convincing Aoi to be nice to Zorcu for the night. She had protested a little, saying she didn't want to be seeing two boys at once, but after explaining the benefits of polyamory and promising her a night she'd never forget in bed later she readily agreed.

Griffon walked up to him and smiled. "_Imité,_" he said, extending his hand.

"Oh, you want to dance," said Imité. He smiled. "Why not? After all, how could I get more deliciously decadent then by starting an affair with my father's ex-lover?"

"Milady?" Yadau asked Foncé, extending his hands.

"Certainly," she answered, batting her eyes as she took his hands. "It's been a long time…"

Jeeno took Dantès' hand. "Shall we?" she asked. "I mean, we don't have to if you don't want to. I understand."

Dantès put his free hand over Jeeno's. They began to dance in time to the music. For the first time in what felt like a long while, Jeeno was happy. Then she noticed Zorcu dancing happily with Aoi, and her spirits plummeted.

"I hate dancing," Ken said to Squalor and Princesa. "It's such a waste of time."

"You said it," Squalor agreed.

"Who would dance with us anyway?" asked Princesa.

Her question was partially answered in the form of Ishtar running over and grabbing her hand. "Hey let's dance," she chirped. Before Princesa could answer, Ishtar dragged her off to the dance floor.

Mistera walked up to Ken and Squalor. "Would you like to dance with me?" she asked Ken cheerfully.

"No," was the blunt reply.

Squalor looked Mistera over, and suddenly decided he liked dancing. "I'll dance!" he said with what he hoped was a charmingly boyish grin. To Mistera though, it was more of a disturbingly pedophilic grin.

"Erm…"

"Great!" Squalor took her hands and whisked her away.

Instead of finding a partner, Kin started break dancing on her own, and began to sing:

_"K"! "K"! Kin-sama! Ano katachi o mi yo! Hikari kagayaku ano sugataaa…_

_Hoka no alphabet wa yurusanai!_

"_K" wa yatsu no kime no pose,_

"_K" wa shouri no "K"…_

"_K" wa bakushou no "K"…_

_Mina-san, meido ni okuritsuke,_

_Son'na yatsu no na waaa yatsu no na waaa… Kin-sama!_

All during the song she would make cheerleader-style poses to form the letter "K".

"You'd think the letter "K"'s the coolest thing ever the way she's singing," Ishtar whispered to Princesa.

"Yes," Princesa said absently. She found it too enjoyable to dance with Ishtar to care about Kin's singing. Funny how dancing was suddenly fun to her…

* * *

After the music ended, Aoi stepped up to the music player. "That was fun," she said, "but let's have some _real_ party music and a little karaoke!" 

She slid a disk into Lord Fouché's state-of-the-art music player, and song suddenly burst forth.

_It's astounding,_

_Time is fleeting._

_Madness takes its toll._

_But listen closely…_

_Not for very much longer…_

_I've got to keep control._

"Everyone who hates singing and dancing just follow me!" Ken announced, then headed for the entertainment room. He was followed by Squalor, Yadau, Princesa, Griffon, and Foncé. Not that they hated singing and dancing, but they wanted to see what Ken had planned. It turned out to be a little marathon made from movies he found at the nearest D.V.D. rental outlet: _Pirates des Caraïbes 1: La Malédiction du Black Pearl_, _Les Transformers: Le Film_, _Final Fantasy VII Advent Children_, _Le Seigneur des Anneaux: La Communauté de l'Anneau_, _Le Seigneur des Anneaux: Les Deux Tours_, _Le Seigneur des Anneaux: Le Retour du Roi_, and _Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn_.

"Now _this_ is how you have a party," Ken said, sitting down on the couch after starting _Pirates des Caraïbes 1_.

Back in the ballroom, Aoi began to do a peculiar, hopping dance routine. The song continued:

_It's just a jump to the left…_

_And a step to the right-right-right-right-right!_

_With your hands on your hips…_

_You bring your knees in tight!_

_But it's the pelvic thrust,_

_They really drive you insane!_

_Let's do the Time Warp again!_

After repeating the dance steps a few more time, Kin, Ishtar, Mistera, Zorcu, and Imité got into and were dancing and singing along with Aoi in no time.

* * *

Jeeno opened the balcony doors, allowing the evening air to drift in. She and Dantès had left after the first dance for some time alone. The balcony seemed as good a place as any. 

Jeeno walked onto the balcony, Dantès behind her. Auseuil was spread out below them, partially hidden from view by the fading light. She leaned against the carved stone railing and sighed.

"I'm scared Dantès. I don't know what to do."

He moved next to her, looking at her sympathetically.

"Zorcu—I feel like I'm losing him. The way he turned on an old ally, the way he talked to me earlier—I don't know…"

She looked at him. "Do you feel the same way about Kin, Dantès?"

The didn't (couldn't?) answer, but Jeeno saw the answer in his eyes.

"_Oh Dantès!_" she sobbed. She buried herself in his chest and began to cry. He blinked, then reached down to hold her reassuringly.

"_Shh,_" he whispered.

Jeeno looked up, her tearful eyes surprised. "Dantès! You…"

He smiled and embraced her. She gratefully accepted.

* * *

Aoi had finished with her first song, and moved on to another, this one much more tranquil and relaxing. Her audience sat down and listened to the soothing tones: 

_Dr. X will build a creature._

_See androids fighting Brad and Janet._

_Anne Francis stars in _Forbidden Planet

_Oh…at the late night double-feature,_

_Picture show. _

_I knew Leo G. Carrol,_

_Was over a barrel,_

_When _Tarantula_ took to the hills._

_And I really got hot,_

_When I saw Jeanette Scott,_

_Fight a Triffid that spits poison and kills._

_Dana Andrews said prunes,_

_Gave him the runes,_

_And passing them used lots of skills._

"_And _When Worlds Collide_,"_

_Said George Pal to his bride,_

"_I'm going to give you some terrible trills,_

_Like a—"_

_Science fiction/double-feature. _

Over in the entertainment room, Foncé turned to Ken. "He's like Imité, only very, very drunk."

Ken nodded. "Sparrow is pretty quirky, eh?"

_

* * *

_

Eventually Aoi ran out of songs, so she and the others joined Ken's group. _Pirates des Caraïbes 1_had ended, so Ken put in _Les Transformers_. Thirty minutes later he was forced to take it out and start _Advent Children_.

"Okay, so I forgot you have to be a _Transformers_ fan to truly appreciate the movie," Ken said. "I'd better introduce you guys to it later. Then we can watch the movie."

Thirty more minutes later he was taking _Advent Children_ out.

"I think it's fine to watch on its own! You don't need to play the game," he protested as he replaced it with _La Communauté de l'Anneau_. This time there wasn't any complaint, as the film adaptation of the One Ring's tale didn't require prior knowledge of a certain animation or video game. Zorcu did complain of feeling a little ill halfway through the film though, and left to get some fresh air outside.

"Truly, one of finest movies ever," Ken said reverently.

Foncé felt she had seen better, but she didn't say anything.

* * *

Zorcu's stomach felt strange, sort of empty yet queasy at the same time. He lurched through the front doors and inhaled large breaths of fresh air, hoping to relieve the uncomfortable sensations. His stomach didn't feel eased at all. If anything, it felt worse. 

He stumbled forward, suddenly very sick. He chocked on the air, feeling faint. As he pitched forward in a dead faint, the only thing he could think of was _blood_.

* * *

By the time Ken inserted the _Deux Tours_ D.V.D. Aoi was getting worried. Zorcu hadn't come back yet, not even to say he was going to bed. 

"Hey guys," she said, standing up. "I'm gonna go see if Zorcu's all right. Catch you later."

She left to the front door, thinking about her dance with Zorcu. Imité had bribed her to do it, but she had found the dance more pleasant than she had anticipated. Zorcu was clearly smitten by her, and she thought he just adorable. _Maybe I'll keep being nice to him after the party._

She passed through the front door and looked around. "Zorcu; it's me, Aoi. Are you out here?" She moved forward a few steps, then her foot landed on something soft. She looked down. Zorcu was sprawled out on the ground, his mouth hanging open grotesquely, fangs proudly on display. His eyes were closed and he wasn't moving.

Aoi screamed.

* * *

A sharp scream pierced through Jeeno's dreams like a hot knife through fat. Her eyes opened and blinked. For a second she forgot where she was. 

Strong arms picked her up, and she cried out. She turned to face her assaulter, and found it was just Dantès, trying to rouse her.

"What? Who screamed?" Dantès pointed from the balcony. Jeeno followed, and saw a figure standing over a dark shape. Soon a crowd poured from the castle, surrounding the figures and blocking them from view. But Jeeno recognized the shape just before it was obscured: Zorcu.

"_No!_" she shrieked, and bolted away, not waiting for Dantès. She charged down the stairs, her heart pounding rapidly. _Oh Zorcu please, be okay! I'm sorry! Please, I'm sorry I wasn't there…_

When she got to the sitting room she found Zorcu being laid on one of the couches by Griffon and Yadau. Aoi was trembling beside the couch. "What is it?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"He needs blood," Foncé said after a quick examination. "He's starving. As a vampire he needs blood or he'll die."

Aoi rolled up her sleeve and thrust her arm out. "I'll feed him," she said grimly.

"No! Wait!" Jeeno called, trying to get through the crowd. "Please! Let me—"

Too late. Aoi grasped Zorcu's head and slashed her wrist with his fangs. Blood oozed from her wound into the boy's mouth. It rolled down his throat, and he seemed to come back to life. His head came forward, his mouth fastening to Aoi's wrist. He began to suck hard at her. Aoi winced, but didn't say anything.

Zorcu's eyes fluttered open, dazed. He drank some more blood, then broke away from Aoi, gasping. He groaned and fell back. "I'm okay," he wheezed. "I just need to rest."

Aoi smiled at him. "That's a relief. I thought you were gonna die."

Foncé clapped. "Well done Miss Aoi! You saved Zorcu's life!" The rest started clapping and congratulating Aoi. Jeeno watched for a few moments, then ran away to her room, crying. Dantès stood silently, and watched helplessly as she slammed her door.

* * *

The ordeal had been too much for Zorcu and Aoi, so she helped him to his room. Her wounded wrist had been healed by Yadau's magic. "Want me to stay with you?" she asked. 

"Would you?" he answered.

"Sure."

"Thanks," he said gratefully.

She opened his door and helped him to his bed. After that she closed the door and sat next to him. He looked so vulnerable laying there on his back. She just wanted to hug and comfort him.

"Hey," she said, "you really had it rough tonight. If there's anything else I can do…"

"Just stay with me," Zorcu said quietly. "Please. Until I'm asleep."

She nodded. "Zorcu, do you like me?"

"Yeah, of course."

"As in, _like_ like?"

He paused, finally squeaking out, "Yeah."

She smiled at him. "Well, how'd you like a 'grown-up' kiss for your troubles?"

He stared back at her, only able to nod.

She leaned over him, her ample breasts brushing against his chest, and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was hot and deep, her tongue pushing into his mouth, probing his tongue, carefully exploring the sharp fangs. She could feel his small hands grip her shoulders.

Finally she slowly broke away, licking her lips sensually. "How was it?" she asked seductively.

"I…I…" Zorcu stuttered.

_Oh my god! He's just so cute!_

"That's okay. I can see it in your eyes that it was your first." She leaned against him again. "Do you need more blood? You need to build your strength up."

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I don't want to hurt you…"

"I'll be fine. Please, if you need any…"

"Okay," he said. He slowly sat up and moved toward her throat. "This will sting a little," he said, pushing her dress down a bit, exposing her neck and cleavage. He leaned in close and sank his fangs into the soft flesh with surgical precision. She gasped at the sharp pain, but it quickly ended as he began to suckle. It felt almost erotic to her, having the young vampire feed on her. _I wonder if he'd like to feed from by breast sometime,_ she wondered.

He pulled out cleanly, and lapped up the blood running from the two small puncture wounds. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, a look of concern on his face.

"No," she answered, dizzy from the sudden blood lose. "Just…let me rest." She collapsed next to him and was asleep in an instant.

* * *

Foncé had just slipped into her nightgown when there was a knock at the door. _Here we go again._ "Ish?" 

The door opened. "I guess you're getting used to me," said Ishtar. She was in a nightgown too. It clung invitingly to her body, and Foncé felt herself blush.

Foncé ran her hand through her hair. "_Bonsoir_ Ish. What may I do for you?"

Ishtar stepped close, her face serious. "I just want to be with you for a night. Just this one night, and I'll never bother you again. I mean it."

"You don't bother me, Ish. Climb on in."

They got into the bed together, Ishtar rolling the covers up. It was actually rather exciting to be so close to the older girl. It was quite a surprise that she looked so good, and Foncé wondered what mental secrets she might have been hiding along with her physical ones.

"Mistress," Ishtar began, "that first time I touched you, a piece of your essence entered me. It…enslaved me. I'm your slave, and there's nothing either of us can do about it. But I'm happy to be your slave. It's the greatest thing that's ever happened to me, and wouldn't give it up for anything!" She turned to Foncé. "You're the mist important person in the world to me, the center of my universe. I think about you all the time, wondering what I can do for you. I…I love you, Mistress. I love you so much…"

"Ish…" Foncé now felt worse than ever for telling her about the old lover and how they couldn't love one another. Ishtar loved her as few others had, and the feeling was mostly mutual now. She couldn't hold back any longer. "Ish, I love you too. I truly do. But I made a promise. If the situation changes I'll tell you, but…"

She blinked and thought for a moment before going on.

"If I return to the World of Devils, I want you as my lover."

Ishtar's went wide. "But you won't go back! I won't allow it! I'll kill anyone who tries to harm you! You'll see! I'll protect you!"

Foncé looked deep into Ishtar's eyes, and she finally understood her attraction to the girl: her childlike attitude. There was a certain innocence, perhaps real, perhaps feigned, that Foncé unconsciously longed to possess and nurture and finally corrupt. Ishtar was like a loyal, naïve daughter, dependant on her and desiring of her. Tears formed in her eyes.

"Mistress! Is something wrong? Did I say something?"

"Ish," Foncé whispered. She took her by the shoulders and kissed her softly on the lips. "I won't ever leave you. No matter what happens I'll be there for you."

Ishtar looked surprised, then reached out and took her hands. "Mistress," she murmured softly, and they kissed again.

* * *

Sabré of Clan Ying sat in a hunched position in his favorite chair, the fire in he heath making his single violet eye gleam in the flickering light. He was a tall, lean man with long black hair flowing down to his shoulders. His hands lay folded under his chin as he stared into the fire. Standing beside him was his wife, Reina of Clan Madre. She was a tall and slender blonde, a coldly beautiful vampire Devil with ruby-red eyes. 

"Our little girl…" Sabré whispered, more to himself than to his wife. "That…_animal_…had better be watching over her."

"I'm sure she is," Reina replied.

_The World of Darkness,_ Sabré thought, _have you unlocked it yet?_

* * *

Désaxé thrashed on the ground, snarling and whimpering as Flagg watched on. She was like a crazed animal. 

"Runt!" Désaxé growled. "The runt's about to make her move, isn't she Flagg?"

"Yeah," he drawled. "They'll be going to that island. Sure you can get us there?"

"Of course! Papa! Papa, no…don't take me there again!" Désaxé shuddered violently and began to weep. "I'm trying to be good…Leave my head alone…"

Flagg glanced at the amber book. Sometimes when she got like that she would get so distressed that she would gain a new spell. He didn't think it would work this time though. He couldn't see it happening.

"We'd better get there then," he said. "I saw one _hell_ of a fight waiting for her on that island."

Désaxé's eyes rolled in her skull. "Fight? Yes, fight. Need to protect the runt, huh? Can't let her die, no sir! They float down here! They all do! Kill them!"

Her eyes snapped wide open. "_KILL THEM!_"

* * *

Energy from the dark reactor crackled around what passed as Muyauwamu's head. The towering figure groaned in anticipation; she would soon be there. _Come back to me,_ _Serpenté. Let me see you once more. Please…_

"Patience, Master," Kesourou rumbled, rubbing his mandibles together. "She'll be here soon, and our mission will be almost over."

"She will take her place on your frozen throne, and darkness shall consume this world," rasped Yingyue.

_Soon Serpenté,_ said the colossal An'uuto. _Soon…_

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: That was some chapter, wasn't it? I've very proud of this one. It was a lot of fun to write._

_Here's a quick guide to the costumes._

_Foncé: Joan of Arc_

_Ken: Claudius_

_Ishtar: Natalie Clifford Barney_

_Mistera: Marilyn Monroe_

_Zorcu: Enlai Zhou_

_Jeeno: Madame de Pompadour_

_Imité: Rudolph Valentino_

_Squalor: William Gladstone_

_Princesa: Renée Vivien_

_Aoi: Joséphine de Beauharnais_

_Kin: Andy Warhol_

_Dantès: Giacomo Casanova_

_Yadau: Louis François Armand du Plessis_

_Griffon: George Byron_

_Remember to read and review! The next chapter is the one-year anniversary of "Kokushoku no Malé!" and the start of the second half of the story! _


	43. Level 43: To Cuilü Island

**黒色のフォンセ!**

_**Kokushoku no Foncé!**_

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* * *

**

_I do not own _Konjiki no Gash!_ Or_ Konjiki no Gash Bell! _Or_ Zatch Bell! _They belong to Makoto Raiku_, Shuukan Shounen Sunday_, Shougakukan, VIZ Media, Touei Animation, and Cartoon Network._

_Zorcu, Jeeno, and Ridley are property of Rahkshi500._

**

* * *

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**Level 43: 翠緑島へ**

**Level 43: To Cuilü Island**

_I have faith that Mistress can lead us to safty. _

—from the Journal of Ishtar

* * *

The chamber was beautiful, constructed from what looked like fine alabaster. It was circular room with five smooth columns supporting the domed ceiling. A soft light drifted in from the dome. It was a splendid room. Tasteful. Classical. 

The only problem, as far as Foncé could tell, was there wasn't any way out. She went over the room twice, but couldn't find an obvious door anywhere. _How do I get out?_ she pondered. _Come to think of it, how did I get in? If I could remember then I could leave, lovely as this room is. Where am I anyway?_

She turned around again. There was now a tall full-length mirror standing at one of the room. The frame was black and straight without any decoration. Its shape was vaguely reminiscent of a casket. Her reflection stared back at her from the clear glass. It had been millennia, but she recognized the mirror immediately.

"You…"

The glass abruptly turned black. The light from above extinguished itself, plunging the chamber into darkness. Being a darkness Devil, Foncé could still partially see in the darkness. She watched stoically as cracks formed over the columns and cobwebs spontaneously grew over everything. It was as thought the room had lurched forward in time, rapidly falling into ruin and decay. Chains exploded from the floor and walls, whipping out and catching Foncé's arms, legs, torso, and neck. She was forced back into a sixth pillar that rose up behind her at the center of the room, the cold chains lashing her tightly to it. She gasped with surprise and pain, knowing that her hostess was enjoying the act.

Sure enough, a low chuckling filled the room. Foncé looked squarely at the mirror. A pair of glowing cat-like violet eyes appeared in the black glass, looking back at her. "_Wanshamuhau, Rireishi-jinze, Okumemu ne Nyuwamu._" Good evening, kindly elder sister Rireishi, Queen of Nightmares.

Foncé heard a tittering, and a vertically aligned third eye opened above the first two, where the center of the forehead would be. "_Wanshamuhau, Serpenté-jinmoi._" Good evening, kindly younger sister Serpenté.

Foncé smiled sardonically. "This is some reunion. Thirteen thousand years and you chain me to a pillar in one of your nightmares. Certainly not among the warmest greetings I've received."

A woman's silhouette stepped from the mirror. It looked like a living shadow with long hair trailing behind it. It stepped up to her and brought its face close to hers. Foncé felt full sensual lips tickle her left cheek and ear. A tingle ran through her body, and felt an urge to pucker her lips for a kiss. The chains constricted, painfully pulling Foncé's body tighter into the pillar. She cried out.

"I'm disappointed in you, Serpenté. I put so much faith in you, giving you all the resources my Ten Exquisite Sovereigns were able to donate, adding so many powerful new spells to your repertoire, and what happens? You go and let your book be destroyed, leaving poor Fudimo to take all the punishment. Besides, you're rather fond of putting people into similar scenes of bondage, are you not?" Long, sharp nails lovingly stroked Foncé's cheek. "You look so sweet and vulnerable, helpless and totally at my mercy. But fear not—I'd never dream of harming my pretty little counterpart…too much anyway."

_Fudimo._ A sickening feeling twisted Foncé's insides at the mention of her first bookkeeper's name. "Rireishi, where you the one who—"

"I had no part in what happened to your beloved," came the answer. "It was Uneiken the War. He sculpted that invincible new body for Fudimo. He was dying, you see, and Uneiken saved him."

"We would've succeeded had we not been betrayed," Foncé growled.

"Perhaps you shouldn't trust your subordinates as much," Rireishi suggested.

"It was out of passion that we were betrayed," Foncé seethed. "That ungrateful—"

"But that's in the past," Rireishi said soothingly, stroking Foncé's hair. "Your betrayer is long dead, and you know what to look for in your new subordinates."

"Yes, yes," Foncé said. She was getting tired of the conversation.

"You don't sound very enthusiastic," Rireishi said. She took Foncé by the chin and looked deeply into her eyes. "Don't you want to help me leave my prison? I can reward you in so many ways. Libraries containing the knowledge of the cosmos. Spells granting you power over life and death. Harems of beauties to tend to your every carnal need. Ownership over multiple worlds. A new body more powerful and beautiful than any you've ever had. Eternal life for you and your loved ones."

She kissed Foncé's cheek softly. "You can rule with me, at my side."

Foncé turned away. "I only want Fudimo at my side."

Rireishi laughed. "Don't delude yourself. You want Fudimo, Ken, Ishtar, perhaps even Imité. You're _such_ a greedy little thing."

"When did you find out about Ken, Ishtar, and Imité?" Foncé asked, irritated.

"The third eye sees all," Rireishi chuckled. "You should know that by now."

"Of course."

"Remember when we first met?" asked Rireishi.

Foncé blushed. "Yes, I'll never forget that."

She looked up at Rireishi, her heart pounding. No; she truly would never forget their first meeting. The aura of such absolute power—she had been in helpless awe of it. She had been so she was about to die. Instead she received a kiss, the first from another girl. Rireishi had held her like a lover before passing on a small portion of her power on to her. Just that small amount filled the royal purple book with formidable new spells. She merely had to do a few favors for Rireishi and she would receive even more power. She had happily agreed.

There was more to it than power though. Much more.

"Another kiss? Even a nightmare like this takes a little effort, imprisoned as I am."

Foncé smiled. "Please…my Mistress."

She had to admit, she understood perfectly how Ishtar felt. There was a definite comfort in having some vastly superior being out there to love and take care of you.

* * *

Zorcu wandered through the field, bewildered and lost. Everything around him seemed _dead._ Where was he and what was he doing there? 

A village loomed ahead. There was nothing else to do but check it out, even if it didn't look especially inhabited from that distance. Closer inspection proved him correct. The doors flapped in the wind, and the windows were dark and caked with ancient dust. It looked hopeless.

"_Zorcu!_" a terror-stricken voice called out. Jeeno. He whipped his head around, looking for the direction the scream came from.

"Jeeno?!" he called. "Where are you?!"

"_Help me!_"

There, that last house on the left. Zorcu ran up to it and batted the door out of the way. Stumbling through what he took for the kitchen he came to the living room. Embedded in the wall was Jeeno, strange organic cables growing from the wall and entwined around her body. Everything was illuminated by a hellish red glow, one that definitely hadn't been there when he was outside.

"_Help me Zorcu!_" she screamed, the cables writhing around her, _pulling_ her impossibly deeper into the wall. She tried to reach out but the cables restrained her. Zorcu tried to step forward but found he couldn't move his feet. He looked down and saw the same cables were snaking around his feet and ankles. He was anchored firmly down.

"_Help…_" Jeeno cried, her voice weaker. The cables completely engulfed her now, and sucked her into the wall. Zorcu was now all alone.

"_Jeeno!_"

* * *

Zorcu awoke with a start. Sweat ran down his face and his palms felt clammy. He sat up, bewildered. Faint light spilled from the windows, so it was the early morning. Next to him, Aoi stirred sleepily. 

Zorcu fell back and sighed. "_Jeeno…_" he whispered. What was he thinking, being so cold to his partner? Sure, they had some differences as of late, but Jeeno was his bookkeeper no mater what. He needed to talk to her.

He shifted around in bed. His clothes felt strange all of a sudden. Instead of the uniform from last night he felt like he was wearing a cloak.

_What the…_

He reached under the covers and felt his outfit. Yes, it was a cloak of some kind. He moved his fingers slowly down the front, suddenly coming upon a strange protrusion over his midsection. It felt a bit like…

_Lips!_

Zorcu tossed the covers off. He saw he was now wearing a brown cloak. Over the middle of the cloak was what looked to be a snarling mouth filled with sharpened teeth. His hands moved over the rest of the cloak, and came across another mouth-like opening on the left side of his cloak. He immediately reached for the right side. Sure enough, there was a mouth there too. Oddly, these two mouths had unsharpened teeth.

Zorcu, repulsed, grasped the bottom of the cloak and started to pull it over his head. He felt a draft as he tried to, so he must have been naked underneath. But no matter how hard he tugged and pulled, the cloak stayed on. It seemed to be stuck by the middle section, around the center mouth. Zorcu reached down the front of the cloak, confident that he wasn't going to like what he found there.

The front part of the cloak and the center mouth seemed to be adhered directly to his torso. He could feel the center part melding directly to his skin. With his other hand, he tried reaching up through the bottom of the cloak. He found the same thing.

_I'm gonna be sick,_ he thought. _This mouth…has grown right out of my stomach!_

He clawed and tore franticly at the bizarre garment but it was no use—it was stuck fast to him. It might as well have been a second layer of skin.

Aoi stirred. "Zorcu?" she mumbled.

Zorcu froze. The last thing he wanted was to be seen by anyone in that mouthed cloak. What could he do though? They were all leaving to some flying island that day together. He couldn't just hide from everyone.

I might as well ask Foncé about it; she's been around for a long time, so maybe she knows what this thing is.

Aoi sat up and rubbed her eyes. "How're you doing kiddo?" she asked, but he was already gone by then.

* * *

Yadau, ever the faithful servant, had spent the entire night cleaning up and generally making sure the castle was as they first entered it. Normally this would leave him tired by morning as he was far more active by night, but he had replenished his energy by stealing out and robbing some unfortunate of the entirety of his bodily fluids. That perked Yadau up right away. 

By early morning he was finished with all his chores, so he quickly found Foncé and Griffon. They sat in the sitting room, speaking in Emu, the language of the World of Darkness.

"She contacted me through a nightmare," said Foncé. "It was a happy little reunion."

"It's serious business if the Queen of Nightmares herself contacted you," said Yadau. "We'd better leave soon. I'll go wake everyone else up."

"Oh, it's the little vampire Devil," Griffon remarked as Zorcu walked over.

"Foncé," he asked, a note of urgency in his voice, "I need your help!"

"Oh?" She looked at him, hiding her surprise at his strange brown cloak with the mouths their baring teeth at the world. "What is it?"

"This cloak! It just appeared on me overnight and it has mouths and it just won't come off!"

"That certainly is a mystery," Foncé answered, "but we are getting ready to leave. Is the cloak causing any pain?"

"No; not yet anyway."

"Then you simply have to wait until we reach Cuilü Island. There are many good laboratories there, so we can fully devote our time when we reach our destination, but until then you just have to bear it."

Zorcu groaned.

Yadau got up. "We should leave now."

Ten minutes later, everyone was gathered in a large circle, holding hands.

"Do we have to be holding hands?" Squalor grumbled, annoyed at having been woken up.

"Yes," Yadau answered curtly. Then he lowered his head and closed his eyes. "_Gaigai!_"

There was a flash of light, and the castle fell empty.

* * *

Ridley sat on his rocky perch, observing as the world went by. The island was a curious place, only sparsely populated as far as he could tell. The few inhabitants encountered so far—the Greenskins as he thought of them—weren't especially challenging to fight. Just hit them hard enough and they died. Not much fun at all, but it was kind of funny. 

A sudden sharp _boom_ pierced the air. Ridley turned in the sound's direction. Some kind of metal aircraft was moving through the air at rapid speeds. How noisy. He didn't like it very much.

"_Part…ner…_"

Ridley's partner held up the azure turquoise book. "_Aznisu!_"

* * *

Foncé blinked the remaining motes of light from her eyes and glared at her surroundings. They had materialized in a circular landing pad surrounded by lush green tropical forest. The plants were an unearthly, brilliant emerald green. Yes, she was definitely back on Cuilü Island. 

"Thirteen thousand years," she murmured, looking around. "It doesn't look especially different."

"Most of the cities are gone now," said Yadau. "The only civilized area left is in the northern region."

"So where are we now?" asked Aoi.

"The far south of the island."

"Then why the hell did you take us in the exact opposite direction?" Squalor demanded.

"This is the closest I can use a spell to reach," Yadau answered. "There are powerful magics that prevent potential invaders from simply bringing themselves to the front gates with Gaigai. So an escort will arrive to pick us up."

There was a booming sound in the distance, and Yadau pointed. "That's it now."

They turned to look. A sleek metallic aircraft was pulling in, two pairs of legs extending from the underside as landing gear.

"What kind of aeroplane is that?" asked Squalor. "It looks strange."

"It's a luxury craft," said Yadau. "It's of Xinshiqi design, not human."

"So they aren't human?" said Mistera, amazed.

"No," Foncé answered, "they aren't. They're Xinshiqi."

The humans buzzed excitedly over this information. "A non-human civilization!"

Foncé was watching the escort move into position when she caught a sky-blue flash out of the corner of her eye. A second later, an explosion of the same sky-blue rocked the left side of the craft. It tipped over to the right and plunged downward. With a thunderous roar it crashed into the forest nearby, uprooting a few trees in the process. The group stared in shock.

"That…wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Imité said dryly.

"We're under attack!" Foncé announced. "Yadau! Sir Griffon! Watch for more attacks! Everyone else get down!" She dropped to the floor and hunkered down. Yadau and Griffon went into cautious stances while everyone else dropped down with Foncé. Minutes passed and no more attacks came. Yadau scouted around for a while, and returned quickly.

"I don't think that attack was meant for us," he said. "They should have come for us by now. If they really meant to kill us they would've waited for us to go onboard before attacking."

"Perhaps whoever it was wants us alive," said Imité.

"I have to contact the higher-ups," Yadau said. "They'll come for us as soon as they know we're stranded. In the meantime, we should get down to the escort."

"To look for survivors?" asked Jeeno.

"No, to look for casualties. Can't let their corpses go to waste." Yadau licked his lips at this. Jeeno recoiled, appalled.

**_To be continued..._**

* * *

_Author's notes: So here we are, one full year after submitting the first chapter of "Kokushoku no Foncé!" It's been a real pleasure to work on this, and I hope to spend another year completing it. I didn't intend for the story to get this long when I first started writing; it was merely meant to introduce Foncé and Ken as a preview for other stories. As of this writing "Kokushoku no Foncé!" is now the second longest _Konjiki no Gash!_-based_ _story on _FanFiction Dot Net_, yet it's only half-way done. This is the beginning of part 2 of the story. There are still many adventures ahead for the mostly morally bankrupt little Devil and her friends._

_I'd like to thank fellow writer Rahkshi500 for not only staying with this story from the very beginning but for inspiring me to write this story and many other stories. I couldn't have done it without you! _

_I'd also like to thank Hajime Morikawa for allowing me to use some of his characters. I thank him, and I also thank everyone who provided their imput over the year. Thank you so much!_


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